


Let the Right One In

by Janie94



Series: Dark Before the Dawn [1]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternative Universe - Super Powers, Comfort/Angst, Complicated Relationships, Depression, Dubious Consent, Eventual Romance, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Minor Character Death, Slow Build, hints of polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-07-10 19:32:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 94,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7003363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janie94/pseuds/Janie94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His whole life Thomas has tried his best to keep his special ability hidden and live a normal life.<br/>That is until he meets Robert who is on the run because of the potential danger of his ability.<br/>Thomas can't help falling for him- despite knowing from the start that Robert is supposed to be his doom...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

Endless darkness was surrounding  him and he knew instantly that he was dreaming. The fake calmness was too familiar, something he had already experienced a dozen times so he wasn’t surprised when the sudden onslaught of incoherent images hit him.

_Thomas scrunching up his face in pain and holding his head like he was suffering a major headache…Thomas putting a blanket over a figure on his couch…a large building - maybe a warehouse - on fire…Thomas in the center of the fire, flames licking across his whole body and screaming in pain…a pair of cerulean eyes he had never seen before, watching the scenery_ _with a cruel smile_ _…_

Manuel  Neuer jolted up in his bed. He was drenched in cold sweat and shivering so hard that his teeth were clattering. Then he remembered the details of his nightmare – no, his vision – and  he  jumped off the bed so fast that his feet tangled in the blanket and he stumbled into his drawer. When he had eventually regained his balance, he dialed a number, not even bothering to look at the clock and consider the early hour he was calling.

“Thomas, it’s me, Manu. We need to talk. Now!”

 

**Chapter 1**

 

Thomas yawned for the third time since Manuel had barged through his door like a maniac and sat down on the sofa with that strange look in his eyes.

“Now, what was so important that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”

Manuel narrowed his eyes and if Thomas had been fully awake, he might have felt threatened.

“I had a vision. About you.”

That finally caught Thomas’ attention. “Really? So what did you see?”

Manuel had to avert his gaze before he was able to answer. “I told you those visions aren’t easy to figure out. And the future isn’t set in stone.”

Thomas flopped down next to his friend who had tensed up visibly. “Manu, you’re dodging my question. What exactly did you see?”

Manuel sighed. “At first you looked like you were in pain. Then  I saw you  at this sofa, putting a blanket over somebody. Next  there was a building on fire and you were right in the middle of it, I think.” Manuel swallowed hard. “You were burning alive.”

For a moment there was silence, then Thomas huffed. “So what you’re saying is that I’m going to die.”

Manuel nodded and looked up to meet his friend’s eyes. Thomas wasn’t meeting his gaze, but he didn’t look as horrified as Manuel thought appropriate. 

Well, Thomas never reacted in any way he could have predicted, but this was strange, even for him. 

“You’re awfully calm about this.”

Instead of an answer Thomas got up and walked towards his kitchen. “Can I offer you something? Milk, coffee, beer?”

He felt Manuel’s  piercing eyes  staring at his back, but ignored it vehemently. He wasn’t surprised though when Manuel wouldn’t let it go this easily. “Did you hear what I said? I watched you die.”

Despite his cool appearance Thomas felt his heartbeat speed up at that damn d-word and his reply was too snappy to fool anyone. “Yes, I heard you the first time. I’m going to die. Great, everyone does, some sooner, others later. It’s not a big deal.”

Manuel was up from his position in an instant and crossing the distance between them in five long strides. “Cut the crap, man! My visions are limited to the near future, you know that. So it’s going to happen soon and if you want to prevent it, you should stop denying this and take me seriously.”

“I am taking you seriously,” Thomas argued.

“No, you’re not. You’re acting like all of this is just a bad dream and things are going to be alright when you wake up. Please, Thomas, you know that my visions don’t just show a _possible_ outcome. They show what’s most likely _going_ to happen if we don’t do something.”

“Okay, fine,” Thomas finally gave in. “So what do you suggest I should do? It’s not like your visions are very specific of what exactly I’m going to do the wrong way.”

“My visions may be vague, but the images I get are never random. So I guess that guy on your couch must have something to do with it.”

Thomas laughed, but it sounded forced even to himself. “Okay, so a guy on my couch. Could you be any more specific?”

Manuel shook his head. “My vision was focused on you, so I never got a clear profile of him. All I could make out was short dark hair. And cerulean eyes.”

Thomas waited, obvious ly hoping for more details. When he didn’t get any, he sighed. "Manu, do you know how many guys fit that description? It could be anyone. Did you see his face properly? Besides the eyes obviously.”

“No. But I have the feeling I would recognize the guy if I ever saw him in person.”

Thomas nodded. “Okay, so for now all we can do is wait until that mystery man shows up at my door step .” He put his arm around Manuel’s shoulder  a nd pushed him gently - but with enough force to get his message across – towards the  same . “So now that this is settled, can I please go back to sleep now? It’s still in the middle of the night and I have to get up early.”

Manuel was so surprised  by the action that Thomas had managed to push him through the doorway despite their height difference and Manuel’s broader frame.

“I'll see you tomorrow!” Thomas said as he shut the door in his friend's face. Then he waited for a few long seconds until he could hear Manuel's footsteps taking him away.

Thomas finally let the mask fall off and let his head drop to the surface of the door. “Damn!” he hissed while he tried to push Manuel's words away. But his friend was right, those visions should never be taken lightly.  
“I'll be fine”, Thomas whispered to himself. “I'll just shut the door whenever a man with dark hair rings the bell. That shouldn't be such a hard task.”

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Thomas walked back into his living room, eying his favorite couch warily before moving into his bedroom to get his much-needed sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Thomas was so busy at work that he almost forgot about the vision.

Two cars had crashed on Munich's Reichenbach bridge, severely injuring three people. He was focused on keeping them alive, his mind otherwise blank until he watched the last one being transported into the helicopter and being flown to the hospital. As much as he loved his job as a paramedic, it's the little things like this that annoyed him. Not knowing whether the person was going to make it through or Thomas had been too late already. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that it took him a few moments longer than the other people around him to notice what was going on at the other end of the bridge. 

The loud honking of car horns eventually brought him back to the present. A black motorcycle was coming around the corner and speeding over the bridge, followed by three evenly black cars. The driver of the motorcycle dodged the vehicles in his way gracefully, but he was not slowing down despite the immense traffic. His followers were falling behind quickly and right when Thomas thought the guy had made it, another motorcycle came out of nowhere, hitting the guy from the side full speed. Thomas felt his eyes widen and he could hear the people around him scream in horror when the force of the crash sent the first guy flying off his bike. His body hit the railing behind him with a sickening crack that Thomas could hear from the few meters of distance and then it tumbled over the barricade and into the river under the bridge. Thomas leaned over it and saw the body hitting the water and he didn't hesitate. He threw off his paramedic jacket and dove into the river as well. He caught the man around his waist and pulled him back to the surface, not surprised to realize he was unconscious. Thomas swam towards the shore, allowing the spectators to haul them both up. 

He laid the guy down on his back and swiftly pulled off his helmet, revealing a man around his own age with sharp features and short black hair currently plastered to his forehead.

Thomas touched his pulse point with his index finger, exhaling his breath in relief when he found a slow beat there. “Thank God!” he exclaimed, but then he remembered the guy hitting the railing and his relief vanished as sudden as it had appeared. 

He turned his head to the side when he saw his colleague Philipp coming over to him.

“He's alive for now.”

Philipp nodded and took over without another word. Thomas was barely aware of someone throwing a blanket over him, his eyes on the unconscious man and only now noticing the weird angle of his back. The same moment he heard Philip mutter, “His spine is broken, he's lucky to even be alive.”

Thomas watched the man being brought into the paramedic car and moved to follow when a figure appeared from the side.

“Where are you taking him?”

Thomas inhaled sharply when he recognized the guy. He might have taken off his own helmet, but his suit was the same. It was the guy who had collided with the man currently in the vehicle. Thomas' mind had already decided this had been on purpose, because he could still remember the details and this guy trying to slow down hadn't been among them. But then Thomas noticed something else; something that made his insides freeze: The guy’s still perfectly styled short hair was dark...

The vision?

Thomas had placed himself between the man and the vehicle before he knew what he was doing. The guy's smile full of perfect teeth dropped a bit and he eyed Thomas with a hint of warning. Thomas had barely time to take in the perfectly tanned skin, wondering if this truly was the man from Manuel's vision when he finally focused on those eyes.

He almost felt relieved when he found dark orbs – almost black – settling on him in annoyance. Black, not cerulean.

“Where are you taking him?” the guy repeated and this time it sounded like a threat.

“Stay away from him!” Thomas replied, his voice filled with hatred.

Mr. Perfect Hair narrowed his eyes, but Thomas felt a smaller figure – Philipp apparently – pull him into the vehicle. The door shut behind them and Thomas’ attention returned to the injured driver who was strapped to the stretcher next to him.

“You saw it too, right? This wasn’t an accident.”

Philipp’s eyes flickered up to him before turning to the patient again. “I’m not sure what I saw. And for now I can’t afford to care about that. I need to focus on keeping him alive until we get to the hospital.”

Thomas didn’t argue any further, helping Philipp when needed, but his thoughts always returned to the incident. They reached the hospital a few minutes later where the doctors took over and rolled the patient away from his sight.

Thomas decided to walk back home rather than taking the metro, hoping it would calm him a bit. But the further he walked, the more restless he became and by the time he was standing in front of his apartment, he was fighting the urge to turn around and run back.

But when he reached for the doorknob, he was surprised to find it already unlocked. Trying to swallow down his unease, he entered quietly and let his eyes roam through the rooms. He could hear sounds coming from his living room and when he crept closer, he realized that is was from a TV program.

He turned the corner and felt a grin spreading on his face at the sight of Manuel sitting on his couch.

“I’m beginning to regret giving you my spare keys”, Thomas stated humorously.

Very, very slowly Manuel turned towards him. “Are you trying to be funny?”

Thomas raised his eyebrows at his friend’s harsh tone. “Jesus, what’s your problem now?”

“ _You_ are my problem!” Manuel shouted before biting his lip as though he hadn’t meant to say that out loud. He sighed and his tone lost some of its temper. “Sorry, I should explain first.” He got up from the couch and walked towards Thomas who was leaning against the table and waiting expectantly. “I had another vision.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Thomas’ face. “You did? Was it about me again?”

When Manuel nodded, he continued, “Did you get any more details of my murderer?”

“No, it was a different vision.”

Thomas frowned. “So does this mean that my future changed?”

“No, it was still related to the other one. Every vision has their own feel to it and they were similar. When things begin to manifest themselves and we’re getting closer to the events I’ve foreseen, I begin to see other angles or things that lead up to it.”

“Thanks for giving me a headache again, Manu,” Thomas said before taking his friend’s place on the couch. “This makes me feel like a psychiatrist, but let’s start from the beginning. What did you see now?”

“I’m not sure, it all happened so fast. A crash between two motorcycles in the middle of a bridge. One of the drivers falling into the water and you jumping after him. Then those cerulean eyes again. That’s it.”

Thomas sat there for a moment and swallowed before finally responding. “Yeah, well, this one turned out to be true. Mostly.”

Manuel raised his eyes from the ground. “What?!”

“Everything you saw happened to me today. I just came back from the hospital, the guy survived.” Thomas chuckled to himself. “I was so focused on the other guy, that it didn’t really occur to me that I might be checking the wrong one.”

Now it was Manuel’s turn to frown. “What other guy?”

Thomas dismissed the question with an impatient wave of his hand. “Doesn’t matter right now. So according to your vision the man I just brought to the hospital is the one who’s going to kill me?”

“Apparently”, Manuel affirmed hesitantly.

“So all we have to do is make sure that he never gets the chance to see me again.” Thomas concluded, just as a thought came to him and his face lit up. “The guy who crashed into him.”

“Would you stop talking nonsense and finally explain what’s going on in your head? What about him?”

“The crash. He did it on purpose.” Thomas said with a grin of excitement.

“Great, another almost-murderer. Would you please explain why this makes you so happy?”

Thomas shook his head. “He wasn’t alone, there were other people in black cars behind him. So this has to be something bad, like I don’t know… Maybe the guy they’re trying to catch is a secret agent or something like that.”

Manuel blinked a few times and Thomas suspected he was trying hard not to roll his eyes. “Black cars and secret agents? This is getting better and better by the minute.”

Thomas ignored him. “So all we gotta do is find Perfect Hair and help him arrest Blue Eyes. Problem solved.”

“Perfect Hair and Blue Eyes? How old are you, five?”

“Ha ha, very funny.” Thomas returned annoyed. “It’s just confusing to say ‘The guy who’s going to kill me’ and ‘the guy who’s crashed the guy who’s trying to kill me’.”

Manuel groaned. “And you were complaining about  _me_ giving  _you_ a headache?!”

But Thomas wasn’t listening anymore. Instead he walked back to his front door and exited the house, an irritated Manuel on his heels.

“Thomas, wait! What are you doing? You have no idea who that man is and where to start looking for him.”

“You’re wrong about the latter. I know exactly where to find him. Now hurry up, we need to visit my future nemesis in the hospital.”

Manuel frowned again. “I thought we wanted to look for the other one?”

“We are,” Thomas agreed. “I told you he was after Blue Eyes. So we’ll go there as well and wait for him. But first I will ask Blue Eyes why he wants to kill me.”

The hospital came into sight at the horizon and Thomas sped up his pace.

Manuel followed him quickly, an alarmed expression crossing his face. “Have you gone mad? Just stay away from him; who cares about his reasons?”

“I do,” Thomas replied calmly.

“Then wait until he’s with the police, it’s safer when he can’t hurt you anymore. “Your concern regarding me is touching, but I can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Manuel asked and it sounded like he was on the brink of begging.

“Because I need to be sure that I’m doing the right thing here.”

 

Ten minutes later they were at the hospital again. It was well past visiting hours, but when the front desk lady recognized Thomas she let him through without a comment.

Thomas and Manuel took the elevator up to intensive care on the fifth floor and the former gave the woman there a wide smile. “Hi Anna. You remember the guy I brought here two hours ago. The one from the motorcycle crash?”

She nodded. “Broken spine, concussion, internal bleeding, possible head trauma?”

Thomas winced. “I didn’t know it was  _that_ bad, but that sounds like him. I need to see him.”

The nurse called Anna sighed. “Look, Thomas, I told you a thousand times, I’m not allowed to do that. Your job is done when you bring the patients here, so I shouldn’t give you any personal information.”

Thomas’ smile didn’t waver in the slightest, but there was a serious glint to his eyes now. “And I already told you a thousand times that this is bullshit. My job is to save people and I want to know if I’m doing it properly.”

Anna eyed him sympathetically. “You really need to learn to shake this stuff off. It’s going to destroy you eventually.”

Thomas had to stifle a laugh at her words. If only she know how right she was. “Thanks for the psychological support, but not this time, darling. So?”

Anna gave in with another sigh and eyed her clipboard. “Robert Lewandowski, age 27 years, room 509. And please hurry, his next inspection is due in twenty minutes. You won’t be able to see him afterward.”

Thomas, who had begun walking towards the room, halted in his steps. “What? Why?”

“I’m not sure. The doctors were advised to ensure he’s stable so the police is able to organize a transport. Seems like they want to transfer him into a high-security prison. It’s why they put him into artificial coma for now.”

Thomas eyes widened. “Wait, he was  _conscious_ ?!”

Anna looked up at him nervously. “Yes, he woke up as soon as you rolled him in.”  
“And they’re keeping him sedated because?” Thomas’ voice was dangerously quiet and Anna shifted her eyes to Manuel nervously as though asking for help.

“Police orders I guess. Apparently he’s too dangerous to be conscious until they bring him to that prison.”

Thomas let out a string of curses before advancing through the corridor to the room. Manuel was about to follow him when Anna stopped him with her hand. “No. I shouldn’t even let Thomas in there, but he has that habit of checking on the people he saves. But you have no valid reason to be here, so I can’t let you through. I’m sorry.”

“I need to...” Manuel began to argue, but to his surprise it was Thomas who cut him off.

“It’s alright, Manu. Just wait here, I won’t be long.”

“Are you sure?” Manuel didn’t look convinced.

Thomas patted him on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. “Come on, the guy is in a coma. How dangerous can it be?”

Then he left Manuel alone with the nurse.

He didn’t bother knocking – there wasn’t anyone who could have heard him anyway – but opened the door softly. The room was dark except for the blinking lights on the various machines attached to the man on the bed.

Despite the urgency of the situation Thomas approached the bed very slowly, trying to come to terms with the fact that this was the man who would kill him. Thomas struggled to believe that, now that he looked at the barely alive figure in front of him. 

He sat down on the side of the bed and stared down at Blue Eyes’ – no, Robert’s – bandaged face. “You don’t look like a murderer.”

Of course he didn’t get any kind of response, not that he had expected it.

“But of course it’s not like there’s a particular type. It’s just... when Manu told me about someone killing me, I expected something different. Someone looking more like a tramp or a maniac, I guess and you’re looking rather… nice.” Realizing that he was babbling, Thomas shook his head in disbelief. “Okay, this is getting weird. I should probably stop talking now.” His eyes returned to Robert. “This would be so much easier if you were awake.”   
He took in the pale skin and the long lashes that hid those damn eyes from his sight. “I get told that I’m good at reading people. And I can’t believe that you’ll just off me. Okay, maybe you’ll do, but it wouldn’t be without reason, right?” He reached out for Robert’s hand and took the long slender fingers between his own. “Please help me understand! Maybe there’s another way.” He eyed the needle on top of Robert’s hand, hesitating for a moment.  
“Manu is going to kill me for this.” 

Then he pulled the needle out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so surprised by all the support I'm getting, please don't let it end! :)

Thomas’ eyes drifted up to the clock and he realized he had only ten minutes until the doctor would come in. There was no way Robert would wake up this fast and he couldn’t just kidnap a patient either. He wouldn’t even make it past Anna.

Thomas contemplated his choices briefly. He could follow Manuel’s advice and just let it go. Robert would get arrested; Thomas would go back to his usual life, end of story. But he couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was missing something important and that there was more to this than he knew…

“Don’t let me regret this!” Thomas muttered and placed his hand on Robert’s chest. Then he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate.

It had been ages since he had done this, because he had chosen to blend in with other people and only use his ability when absolutely necessary. So it took him longer than it should have to find Robert’s life energy that was pulsing through his body. His energy was flowing very slowly and it scared Thomas to realize that he had never tried to use his powers on someone who was injured this badly. Nevertheless he let his consciousness float tentatively over Robert’s system before he finally felt a small space where there was close to no energy. It was located at his spine, probably the place where the bone had been broken. Taking a deep breath Thomas began to pull. The fine thread of energy flared like a small flame, but only for a second. Thomas pressed his eyes together as hard as he could and tried to pull harder, but the thread didn’t grow as he had hoped it would. In the past Thomas hadn’t tried to heal more than small wounds and scratches, so he had no idea if he was even capable of repairing this kind of damage. Never had he condemned his desire to fit in more than in this precise moment. If he had tested his abilities before, he wouldn’t be in this situation now. He let the thread go and opened his eyes.

Five minutes left.

“Shit! So the hard way then.”

Once again he closed his eyes and let his mind check for Robert’s energy levels, but this time he didn’t linger at the surface. He pushed in deeper, right where the head was located and stopped at the center. Robert’s mind was the most beautiful Thomas had ever seen. He thought he had been prepared for the blinding light that he knew from the various humans he had awoken from unconsciousness with his ability. But Robert was different. His light was just as bright, but it was only concentrated at the middle while most of the remaining space was filled with rainbow colors. Thomas felt electrified, his own mind reveling in the close presence of Robert’s and for a moment he forgot why he was here. It was so easy to let himself float there, a strange calmness filling him. Then Thomas was violently yanked out of Robert’s mind.

It took him a few seconds to recognize his surroundings. Manuel was standing at his side and shaking him hard. “Thomas, snap out of it!”

“Manu?” he asked, wondering why his voice was so hoarse.

Manuel looked at the door and back to his friend. “We need to get out immediately. The doctor is here for the inspection and Anna is trying to distract him, but she can’t buy us more than a few minutes.”

Thomas nodded and pulled at Robert’s arm. “Help me get those wires off him!”

“We can’t just take him with us,” Manuel argued but it sounded less appalled than Thomas had expected. “But I suppose you know that and simply decided that you don’t care, right?” 

Thomas grinned while he was freeing Robert from the equipment that was connected to his body. “Well, you know me. I don’t like being told what to do.”

Manuel snorted. “Fine, you lead and I’ll carry him.” Thomas opened his mouth to protest, but Manuel cut him off instantly. “Don’t argue with me. You’re so pale, you’d probably drop an infant right now.”

Thomas nodded and as soon as he was finished, Manuel pulled Robert up into his arms. “Jesus, he looks your height, but I swear he’s considerably heavier.”

Thomas eyed Robert’s form up and down. “Well, he’s got more muscles than me, so that could be-“

“Could you stop being an annoying smartass for once and get going?!” Manuel spat through clenched teeth.

Thomas jumped at the tone, but hurried to the door and opened it. A sneak peek along the corridor told him there was no one in the near distance, but he could hear Anna and a male voice talking animatedly, so they were probably just around the corner.  
Thomas exited the room with Manuel right behind him and he led them to the elevator. He pressed the button for the ER which earned him a nervous glance from Manuel. “The ER? But isn’t this the most crowded place in the entire hospital?”

“Yes, and also the most hectic, I can assure you. No one will pay us any attention if we make our exit there, especially not with me around.”

“But if the police question your colleagues and word gets out that you kidnapped a patient, you will lose your job.” Manuel argued.

Thomas shrugged. “Doesn’t matter which exit we take, Anna’s already seen us. So I’m screwed either way. The difference is that this one buys us a few more hours of time.”

Manuel shook his head in disbelief. “And you’re willing to put up with all this trouble, just because you want to find out why this guy seems to hate your guts?”

The elevator opened just when Thomas replied, “I need to know the truth.”

He had been right. The doctors were so busy with the patients constantly coming in that no one seemed to care about them. When the exit finally came into view Thomas saw the person he had been looking for.

“Philipp!” he called out with a nervous smile.

His colleague who was busy folding his jacket to probably end his shift looked up. “Hey, Thomas. What are you doing here?” His smile faltered when his eyes shifted to Manuel and the familiar body in his arms. “What’s going on?”

Thomas lowered his voice. “I promise to answer all your questions as soon we’re out of here, but now I need your help, please!”

Philip looked at the unconscious man, then to Manuel before his eyes settled on Thomas. He ran his fingers through his hair before nodding. “Fine. What do you want me to do?”

 

Half an hour later they were back at Thomas’ apartment and Manuel was laying the body down on the sofa. He stared down at Robert in bewilderment, before glancing at Thomas. “I don’t like this one bit. Everything is happening like in my vision. We’re supposed to find a way around this, not meet it head on.”

“We can’t run from it as long as we don’t know what’s chasing us”, Thomas replied calmly.

“Why do I even argue with you when you always pull philosophical shit like this?” Manuel muttered, but the small smile on his lips took the edge off his words.

Thomas grinned. “I know, I’m awesome.”

An impatient cough interrupted them and they turned to Philipp.

“I think now would be the perfect time for some explaining. All I got was that Manuel had one of his visions and then you two started arguing.”

Manuel nodded. “Yeah, yesterday I had a vision of this guy somehow being responsible for Thomas’ death. And smart as he is, he decided to rescue the guy the day after and hide him in his apartment.” 

Thomas huffed. “I didn’t decide to rescue him, I had no idea who he was when I pulled him out of the water.”

“Do you seriously want to hoax me into believing that you wouldn’t have rescued him even if you had known? Because if that’s what you’re saying, then I’d like to hear your explanation for this.” He pointed angrily at the couch.

Thomas opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly Philipp was standing between them, his hands raised placatory. “Okay, I think I’ve heard enough.”

He turned to Thomas. “Manu is right, you know. What you’re doing here, is the stupidest thing you could have come up with.” He cut off Thomas’ protest with a wave of his hand. “But this clearly is important to you, so I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Thomas blinked in surprise while Manuel stared at Philipp with something akin to betrayal in his eyes. “He’s digging his own grave and you’re okay with this? What kind of friend are you?”

Philipp shook his head. “Do I approve of this? No. But he’s old enough to make his own decisions and none of us has the right to take that away from him. And if you’re truly his friend, you know that as well.”

Manuel stood there, looking like he was fighting the urge to hit something, then his posture relaxed. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

Thomas felt almost bad for him, after all Manuel was just trying to save him. “Don’t worry, Manu. Blue Eyes is still in a bad condition, he’ll probably sleep through the whole night. You can stop by tomorrow and check up on me if it makes you feel better.”

Manu nodded and his smile turned apologetic. “I’m being an idiot, right?”

Thomas smirked. “Most of the times, yes, not that I…”

He was cut off by Philipp hitting his shin hard. The smaller man grabbed Manuel by the arm and pulled him towards the door. “That’s enough. But listen, Thomas, I can’t give you more than one or two days of a headstart. Anna won’t talk, she likes you too much, but eventually the police will search the house of everyone involved with Robert during the last few days.”

“I know”, Thomas sighed. “I’ll figure something out by then.”

Philipp and Manuel left him alone then and without them Thomas felt overwhelmed by the situation. He turned around to look at the man lying on his couch. He crouched down next to him and studied the other’s face. It was beyond pale now, the almost greyish shade making him look even more ill than in the hospital. His breathing was shallow and if Thomas hadn’t looked closely, he’d believed the guy was dead. The weird angle of his back wasn’t helping matters either. He looked like he wouldn’t last the night.

Carefully Thomas reached out and touched Robert’s cheek. It was too cold, like there was barely any life within this man.

“Maybe you won’t kill me”, Thomas mused. “Because I’m probably killing you right now.” He sat down at the edge of the sofa, right next to Robert’s waist, just when he heard a small groan. Thomas stilled, wondering if he had just imagined the pained sound, but then Robert’s brows furrowed and suddenly his breathing stopped. Thomas waited for a few seconds, before realizing it had actually stopped for good, then he felt a surge of panic course through him.

“Blue Eyes?” he asked, but of course there was no reaction. He clutched Robert’s shoulders and shook them hard. “Come on, man, you can’t die on me now! Not after all the trouble I’ve been through.”

It was the last conscious thing he managed to think before his head begun to hurt like nothing he had ever experienced before. He was distantly aware that he was screaming, but he couldn’t hear it.

His hands that were still holding on to Robert were burning, but he couldn’t pry them loose. He had lost control over his body, trapped in his own head and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get out. He only stilled when he heard a voice in his head. 

“ _Help me!”_

It wasn’t a voice that he was familiar with, yet his body obeyed the command immediately. The burning at his hands intensified and Thomas felt the energy leaving his body at an alarming speed.

“No!”, he fought weakly, just when there was a ringing in his ears that told him he was going to be swallowed by darkness. 

And suddenly the pain stopped. Thomas gasped when he was returned the reigns to his body, but what shocked him even more were the eyes staring up to him from underneath. Blue eyes…

“Sorry,” Robert croaked hoarsely and Thomas had just enough time to recognize it as the voice in his head when those light blue eyes closed again.

But this time he continued breathing, so he must have fallen unconscious again.

Thomas contemplated waking him, but neither of them was in the right condition for talking, so he decided to go to bed instead. He got up from his feet just when a shiver ran down Robert’s spine.  
There was something about the sleeping form that was different, but Thomas couldn’t place his finger on it. He pulled out a blanket from the other end of the couch, stretching it just when he remembered Manuel’s words.

… _I saw you at this sofa, putting a blanket over somebody…_

… _Everything is happening like in my vision. We’re supposed to find a way around this, not meet it head on…_

Thomas stood there for a long time, the blanket in his hands, staring down at Robert. Manuel was right, he should be fighting his destiny or however one liked to call it. But the longer he stood there, the clearer it became that he couldn’t do it. He wanted to know why this guy was intent on killing him. And he wanted to believe that Robert would choose differently. So he covered Robert with the blanket, tucking him in before retreating into his bedroom and falling onto the mattress. He was out like a light, not even bothering to undress or get under the covers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to update at least once a week, but inspiration is a bitch, so no promises. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said updates will be once a week, but I'm having a good run right now and I wanted to post this before I'm too busy watching the EM matches.  
> Enjoy! :)

When Thomas woke up, it was to the smell of coffee and scrambled eggs. So his empty stomach, it smelled like heaven and Thomas mentally promised that he would never ever complain about Manuel always entering his apartment like ke owned it.

His head was hurting like a bitch, but otherwise he felt quite well rested considering the circumstances. Lazily he pulled himself out of bed and dragged his feet over into his kitchen. He almost stumbled at the man standing there.

“You”, Thomas deadpanned at the sight of Robert stirring the pan.

Robert looked up, his lips curving up into a smile, but he looked too anxious. “Good morning”, was all he said and then he stood there, apparently torn between getting back to his cooking and facing Thomas.

Thomas eyed him up and down, noticing that he was clad in an old pair of jeans and a rumbled red shirt that looked very familiar.

Robert followed his gaze. “I borrowed some of your clothes, I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, it’s fine”, Thomas responded. “I don’t really care which clothes you wear when you kill me.” He bit his lip, because damn, he hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that.

Robert stared at him in irritation. “Why would I want to kill you?”

Now it was Thomas’ turn to frown. “You don’t?”

Robert shook his head and they both stared at each other for a long moment. Then Robert turned back to his pan grabbed it, rounding Thomas to set it down on the table. Robert gave him another nervous smile, but once again it didn’t reach his eyes. “I hope you like eggs, I wasn’t sure what exactly you’d like to eat.”

Thomas eyed the eggs warily. “They aren’t poisoned, are they?”

That drew the first honest laugh from Robert. “Why are you so convinced that I want to kill you? After all you saved my life.”

Thomas wasn’t able to answer. All this time he had been telling Manuel that he was convinced Robert wouldn’t kill him, but he had expected to do a lot more of persuading. 

Then something else occurred to him. “Wait, how come that you’re walking around like nothing’s happened? Your spine is broken.”

Robert froze with his cup of freshly brewed coffee still in his hand. “You don’t know?”

Thomas raised an eyebrow questioningly. 

Robert swallowed hard. “You healed me. Well, technically I made you do that and I should apologize for that. It wasn’t my intention to hurt you.”

“Wait, so the reason for that hell of a headache yesterday was you?”

Robert’s knuckles around his mug turned white at his tight grip. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Thomas noted Robert’s composure with confusion. He looked like he was expecting to be punished.

“How did you do that?”

“I was dying”, Robert stated matter-of-factly. “I reacted on instinct and used my power on you.”

Thomas straightened. “What power?”

Robert met his gaze and it was the first time that Thomas got to look at his eyes this morning. In the light of the rising sun they looked indeed cerulean, like Manuel had said.

“You _do_ know that you have the gift of healing people, right?”

Thomas nodded. “Yeah, I’ve known that for years.”

“Well, I have a power of my own. I can adapt the abilities of others.”

Thomas stared at Robert. “So, that’s what you did last night? You acquired my ability?”

Robert poured another cup of coffee and handed it to Thomas. “No, fortunately it’s not that easy. Otherwise I’d probably be much too powerful by now.” He leaned back in his seat and looked down at his coffee as though he was uncomfortable with looking at Thomas. “To acquire an ability, I need to study it and learn how it functions. It might take a few days or a few months depending on the ability and its owner.”

“But you healed yourself”, Thomas argued. “So if it’s not possible how did that happen?”

Robert tensed and his eyes raised enough to focus on Thomas’ chest, still careful to avoid his eyes. “I had some kind of mentor. He taught me how to use my ability to its full extent. I gained the ability to influence minds from him.”

Thomas remembered the feeling of being trapped in his own head all too well. “So you took control of my body to make me heal you?”

A brief flicker up to Thomas’ eyes, then Robert dropped his eyes again. “Like I said, I’m sorry. My powers seemed to sense that you would be able to help.” 

Thomas nodded and finally sat down to start eating those delicious eggs. He felt Robert watching him silently, but chose to ignore it. It was very unnerving to feel the other man staring at him like that.

They finished their breakfast in silence and after cleaning the table, Robert tugged at his borrowed shirt. “Can I keep those clothes?”

“Sure,” Thomas told him and watched with growing confusion as Robert walked towards the door. “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know yet. I can’t stay here obviously,” Robert told him calmly.

“Wait, you can’t just leave!” Thomas argued. “That crash on the bridge wasn’t an accident. Someone tried to kill you!”

“That’s exactly why I have to leave,” Robert replied and he looked very tired all of a sudden. “Listen, I owe you for saving my life. By leaving now I’m probably going to save yours.”

He turned back to the door, but Thomas was up from his seat in an instant and grabbing him by the arm to stop him. 

He felt Robert tense even further under his grip and then the other man faced him. His face was wiped carefully blank and his eyes met Thomas’ in resignation as though he was expecting to be hit. 

It was beyond disturbing for Thomas to realize that something was going the wrong way in their communication.

He softened his grip, but didn’t let go. “Did you know the other guy on the bridge?”

“Yes,” Robert said without emotion. Only when Thomas raised his eyebrow questioningly, he continued, “He was my mentor.”

Well that was unexpected.

“And why is he trying to kill you all of a sudden?”

“Because I refused to obey,” Robert said before dropping his eyes to Thomas’ hand still holding his wrist. “Because I refused to be his tool.”

Thomas had hoped getting some answers from Robert would help clearing things up, but now he was left with even more questions. It must have been showing on his face, because Robert’s mask of indifference crumbled and he looked pleadingly. “Please for your own good, just let it go. You seem to be a nice guy and I don’t want to have your blood on my hands as well.”

That made Thomas prick up his ears and his fingers tightened around Robert’s arm. “What do you mean,  _as well_ ?”

Before Robert could answer, there was a sudden ringing of the doorbell that made both men jump.

Robert turned to Thomas. “A friend of yours?”

“Maybe,” Thomas said, but it came out more like a question.

As he approached the door, he could see Robert retreating into his living room, out of sight. He hoped it was only Manuel or Philipp though that was doubtful. In hindsight he shouldn’t have been that surprised at the man at the other side of the door.

“You!” he exclaimed when he came face to face with the guy on the bridge, Robert’s former mentor. He was clad in an expensive looking black suit that made him look a bit older than he probably was. His black hair was just as perfectly styled as Thomas remembered and his smile just as charming. But his eyes remained cold and calculating as he took a brief look around.

“So you remember me,” Perfect Hair noted. He extended his hand to Thomas. “My name is Cristiano Ronaldo, nice to meet you.”

Thomas ignored the offered hand. “What are you doing here?” he asked through clipped teeth.

Cristiano’s smile changed into a smug grin. “Straight to the point? Fine.” A menacing glint appeared in his eyes. “You took something from me. And I’d like to get it back.”

Thomas’ eyes narrowed. “He doesn’t belong to you. And with that stunt you pulled on the bridge, I don’t see any good reason why I should help you.”

Cristiano laughed. “Oh, I think, you’re confusing something here. I’m helping  _you_ . You have no idea what you got yourself into. That man is dangerous.”

“So are you,” Thomas replied coldly.

“Right. The difference is that I’m in control. He’s a wild card that could go either way.” Cristiano was so close now that he was right in Thomas’ face. But the latter had no intention of backing down.

“That’s not a reason to kill him.”

Cristiano sighed and for the first time his dark brown eyes filled with warmth. “Trust me, Thomas, you wouldn’t say that if you knew what he is capable of. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

Thomas shook his head, but he felt the seed of doubt growing in his chest. “He doesn’t deserve to die.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Cristiano agreed softly. “But it needs to be done in order to protect others.”

Thomas considered his words for a moment, but he couldn’t do it. Robert wasn’t a cold-blooded murderer. 

“I can’t tell, you where he is. If you want him, you’ll have to force me. Come on, use your powers, I’m not afraid of you!”  
A flicker of surprise crossed Cristiano’s features. “He told you about me?” But he dismissed his own question with a shake of his head. “You know, I tried to force you,” Cristiano told Thomas nonchalantly. “After you had pulled him out of the water, I tried to use my powers on you, but I couldn’t get inside your head.”

“Why not?” Thomas asked.

“That’s what I wanted to know as well. But I think I’ve got the answer now. Because there’s no way Robert would have told you about my powers if you were an ordinary human. He may be reckless, but he isn’t stupid.”

Thomas swallowed hard. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Cristiano’s grin turned predatory. “Oh, I think you do.”

Thomas was not prepared for the burst of pain in his head. He screamed in agony, his hands coming up to hold his head, but he could still hear Cristiano’s voice. “You may be able to shield yourself, so I can’t get inside your head. That doesn’t mean I can’t hurt you from the outside.”

It felt like needles piercing through Thomas’ skull, cold and precise, so unlike the hot desperation from Robert. He felt his knees buckle under his weight, but suddenly there was an arm around his waist, holding him up and the pain stopped.

“Leave him out of this,” he heard Robert hissing next to him. His voice was laced with hatred and Thomas felt a shudder running through his body while he straightened.

Cristiano’s grin had finally disappeared. “I suspected that he got you out from the hospital. But I was sure you’d be long gone.” He took a step towards Robert and Thomas had to fight the urge to intervene again. “You should have run while you still had the chance.”

The moment Cristiano had finished his sentence, Robert jerked like he had been whipped. Thomas winced in sympathy as he imagined the pain, but Robert surprised him by giving a Cristiano a pained smile. “You trained me well. So I suppose you should try harder.”

Cristiano pressed his lips together, his face crunched up in concentration and Robert began to shake violently though there was no sound coming from him. He just continued to grin despite the pain he was obviously in. Thomas had just begun to question his sanity, when Cristiano groaned. His hand came up to his head and Robert’s grin widened, just when blood began to drip from his nose. They seemed to be fighting some kind of mental battle against each other, Cristiano going down on his knee for support while Robert swayed on his feet dangerously.

“You’re going to kill each other!” he shouted at them, but they didn’t seem to hear him. Thomas cursed before finally deciding talking wouldn’t do him any good here, so he punched Cristiano in the face.

The other man stumbled back, but quickly regained his balance. “Listen, I don’t know what he told you, but you’re fighting on the wrong side. He is a danger to all of us.”

“And what gives you the right to be the judge?” Thomas countered.

Cristiano stared at him in outright anger. “If you help him, you put a lot of innocent lives on the line. But it’s not too late to turn back now. Nothing has happened yet.”

Thomas let his eyes drift to Robert, noticing that the other man was watching him silently to let him decide for himself.

He turned back to Cristiano. “You talk about saving people, but all you’ve done since we met, is hurting people. So my answer is no!”

Cristiano didn’t react for a few seconds, then he smirked. “Sorry, I can’t take  _No_ for an answer.”

And the pain returned stronger than ever. The force of it hit Thomas so hard that he was on his knees before he had managed to start screaming. He was dimly aware of Robert going down next to him as well.

A ringing filled his ears and he had trouble understanding Robert’s words. “Leave him be. You wanted me, you got me, so let him go!”

“You seem to like him,” Cristiano replied. “And here I was thinking you have a hard time making friends. At least when they are of no use to you.” Cristiano glanced at Thomas who felt another wave of pain hit him.

“Is that why you’re still here? Because you want to take his ability too? It would be quite convenient for you to have a shield that could protect your thoughts from me.”

“I’m not going to hurt him”, Robert said, but his voice sounded off, like he wasn’t sure if that was the truth.

Cristiano seemed to have heard that as well. “Are you sure? Because I still remember Mario.”

Thomas frowned in confusion, but it was quickly overtaken by fear the moment he looked at Robert whose hands had curled into fists.

Then he hurled himself against Cristiano so fast that no one could have stopped him. The force sent both men to the ground; Robert on top, his arm pressing down Cristiano’s chest so hard that the other man had trouble breathing.

“I DIDN’T KILL HIM!” Robert shouted in a high-pitched voice.

His eyes were filled with a wild glint, not focusing as though he was too lost in his own thoughts, memories perhaps.

Cristiano was trying to push the hindering arm away, but Robert’s body didn’t budge an inch.

“I didn’t kill him,” Robert repeated quieter, his voice haunted and Thomas got the impression that he didn’t even know what he was doing.

“Stop it, Robert, let him go!” he commanded, but Robert didn’t seem to hear him.

Cristiano’s movements were getting more erratic, his fingernails scratching over Robert’s arms to leave bloody scratches, but the latter still didn’t let go.

“I didn’t kill him.” He whispered and his voice broke at the last word.

“Robert!” Thomas shouted again, noticing that Cristiano’s face was turning blue.

When he still didn’t get a reaction, he surged forward and grabbed the other man by the shoulders. He had known it was probably not the best idea to touch Robert while he was in that state, but he still wasn’t prepared for the pained gasp he received and suddenly he was the one being pushed to the ground and Robert holding him down.

But it had worked, Robert was finally  _seeing_ him.

“Thomas?” he asked shocked before letting him go and scrambling back. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”

Thomas sat up slowly, quickly giving Cristiano a side glance, but the older man was still lying on the ground, coughing and trying to catch his breath.

“What the hell just happened?”

Robert just stared at him with wide eyes, probably still in shock. 

“That’s what I would like to know as well,” a very familiar voice said behind them.

The three of them turned around to find Manuel standing there and he looked pissed. “Well?”

“I don’t know,” Thomas replied truthfully and got up. He walked over to Cristiano and eyed him angrily. “I suggest you leave. Now.”

Cristiano blinked in surprise. “You saw what he did, right? And you’re still on his side?”

“As long as I don’t know what’s going on here, I’m on nobody’s side. I’d like to find out before I make the wrong decision. And your presence is clearly setting him on edge, that’s why I’m asking you to leave, so I can talk to him.”

Cristiano opened his mouth in protest, but then Manuel was at Thomas’ side. “I believe he told you to leave.” His voice was more threatening than Thomas was used to from his usually so calm friend. Cristiano ground his teeth in anger, not moving as though he was contemplating to use his powers on all of them. Realizing that he was too weak to hurt all of them at once, he dropped his head in defeat. “Fine. But I will be back.”

Three pairs of eyes followed him as he walked back to his car on the side of the street, a black Lamborghini.

As soon as the pompous car had disappeared, Manuel whipped around and grabbed Robert by the arm to haul him up. “You have ten seconds to explain yourself before I break your arm!”

Thomas tried to shove Manuel away from the still dazed Robert, but it was like pushing against a wall. “Manu!”

Thomas had no idea who was more frightening; Manuel in his heated anger or Robert in his state of shock. 

Manuel didn’t seem to be aware of the latter though. “Answer me! Why is that guy so obsessed with you?”

Robert finally focused on Manuel. “I don’t have to explain myself to you; it’s none of your business.”

“It is when you’re dragging my friend into this mess!” Manuel countered.

Thomas massaged his temples in annoyance. “Stop talking about me like I’m not right here!”

To his surprise Manuel’s grip around Robert’s arm loosened, but then he saw the look in Manuel’s eyes. They were clouded over, like he was staring into the distance, a gray film over them that almost drowned out his blue iris.

Then he fell forward and Robert caught him reflexively. He frowned. “What’s wrong with him?”

Thomas helped laying Manuel’s body down on the ground, the sight of this familiar but just as unsettling as he remembered. “He’s having a vision.”

“A vision?”

“It’s his special gift. Occasionally he has visions of the future.”

Robert’s reply was cut off by a loud groan from Manuel. 

“No…please don’t! NO!”

His body surged back up, eyes blue again, breathing hard.

He blinked a few times to focus, obviously trying to make sense of the images he had just received.

“What did you see?” Thomas asked tentatively.

“A dark room. It was nighttime and I could see the full moon through the window. The silhouette of a man standing in front of it. There were two others on the ground, I think they were the two of you – at least they felt like you.” Manuel swallowed and closed his eyes. Thomas knew what that meant. There was more.

“What else?”

“You had a gun in your hand. Robert was holding his leg and he was bleeding from what looked like a bullet wound.”

Thomas felt like he had been hit in the face. “I shot at Robert?”

“Apparently. But there’s more.” Manuel turned to Robert and it wasn’t hard to see the unhidden contempt in his eyes. “That guy, he was pulling you up like he wanted to drag you out of there. And I could hear the words he told you, _I’m glad to have you back._ And then he shot at Thomas.”

His words were followed by a long silence. 

Thomas felt more confused than frightened to be honest. The last two days had been so eventful that this didn’t feel like such a big deal. “And what about your other vision? About me burning alive?”

Manuel shrugged. “They feel connected, but obviously you can’t die twice, so I guess being shot is your new future and the other one got erased before it happened.”

“Which is exactly what you wanted,” Thomas added dryly. 

Manuel glared annoyed. “What did I say about you trying to be funny?”

“I shouldn’t,” Thomas repeated with a roll of his eyes. “But seriously this is getting even messier. I averted your vision only to be stuck in another one. It’s like the whole universe is set on killing me.”

Even Manuel couldn’t argue with that.

But it was Robert who finally spoke up. “You know there is be a way to get out of this cycle.” Manuel and Thomas turned their attention to him.

Robert was looking at Thomas with resignation. “This morning you were convinced that I was going to kill you, so I guess Manu had a vision of me killing you before.” He only waited for Manuel’s nod before continuing, “So those visions of your death, no matter in which scenario are always connected to me.”

Thomas didn’t like where this was heading. “So?”

“It’s obvious. If you kill me, I can’t be responsible for your death.”

It took Thomas too long to realize Robert wasn’t joking. “Are you mad?”

He ignored Manuel’s hand reaching out for him and walked over to Robert until there were so close that he could see the speckles of grey in his bright blue eyes. “Listen, I did not pull you out of that river and stand up to that Cristiano dick just to kill you myself! Don’t tell me you do want to die.”

Robert smiled, but his eyes filled with sadness. “Of course not, no one wants to die because he wants to end his life. But some want to die because then it’s over at least.”

Thomas had been prepared for a fight, but he realized that Robert was too broken for fighting and it stole all his thunder. “So you think there’s nothing worth living for?”

“Everyone has something to fight for,” Robert whispered, his words are stark contrast to his expression. “But what do you live for when it’s taken away from you and you have no one but yourself to blame?” A single tear ran down Robert’s cheek and Thomas reacted on instinct. He leaned forward and pulled Robert into his arms.

Robert’s walls seemed to crumble and he burrowed his face in Thomas’ shoulder, not making a sound but his body began to shake and Thomas could feel his hot tears through the thin fabric of his shirt.

“What happened to you?” he asked quietly to himself. He wasn’t surprised to get no answer.

His eyes met Manuel’s over Robert’s shoulder. The blonde watched them with a very strange look in his eyes, a mix of sympathy and wariness.

“We should get going,” he suggested softly. “Perfect Hair knows where we are, so we should go into hiding for a while.”

Robert moved his head to the side, so he could look at Manuel questioningly. “Perfect Hair?”

Manuel winked at Thomas. “That guy from earlier.”

Thomas couldn’t help the grin forming on his lips. “I can’t call him that anymore, he’s got a name now.”

“What a pity. I was beginning to get used to it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Lewy is finally awake! Now let the fun begin! (...or the drama)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but I was busy watching the EUROs and dealing with inspiration for a new fic. ;)  
> To make up for it this chapter is longer than the previous ones.  
> By the way I forgot to note that English is not my first language, so there might be some grammar mistakes here and there.

Deciding that Manuel’s place wasn’t safe enough – many people knew he was Thomas’ best friend – the three of them decided on Philipp’s house at the other side of the city.

By midday Thomas had packed some clothes for Robert despite his protests.

“You can’t hide me forever, you know?” Robert said for the fifth time, but Thomas ignored him yet again. Robert was stubborn, but Thomas was hell-bent on helping him, even against his will.

He searched his drawer for his old smartphone and threw it into the bag as well.

He could feel Robert growing impatient behind him. “Thomas, you’re putting your friends at risk. I’m not worth it!”

“I’m not going to let you die!” Thomas replied without looking at him.

“And I appreciate that, I really do! But you can’t make that decision for your friends as well!”

That was the problem. Robert was right and deep down Thomas knew it. “I’ll figure something out, okay? Just stay with Philipp for a few days until I know what to do. We’ll find a way.”

Robert was quiet for a few seconds. “I’m still convinced you shouldn’t be doing this. But okay.” Thomas opened his mouth, but Robert wasn’t finished yet. “You have an ability, so Cristiano won’t kill you right away. He will try to win you over first. And I’m sure the same thing will apply to Manu once Cristiano finds out about his gift. But you said Philipp is human, so his life doesn’t mean anything to Cristiano.”

Thomas paused and finally looked at Robert. “Why aren’t we going to the police with this? He can’t just kill the people he doesn’t like.”

Robert laughed humorlessly. “We could. The problem is that we have no proof that he’s actually killed someone and he’s got connections. Besides, the police won’t want to mess with the CIA.”

“CIA?” Thomas repeated.

“You didn’t think he was operating on his own, did you?” Robert asked.

Thomas swallowed. “Manuel thought I was being ridiculous when I suggested Cristiano might be a secret agent.” He shook his head. “So what does that mean? Why is the CIA after you?”

“It’s like Cristiano said. I’m out of control, someone who could expose all their secrets to the world.” Robert explained. “I don’t think Cristiano actually wants me dead. After all he had high hopes of me for a long time.”

“What made him change his mind?” Thomas asked.

Robert shrugged, but his eyes were sad again. “He had hoped I would eventually get my own ability under control. That I would be able to copy everyone’s gift and be his right hand. He said it was easier trusting me alone with all those powers than an entire army of us special people. I would be his one man army. Then I turned out to be a failure.”

Thomas wanted to ask more, but Manuel appeared at the doorstep.

“Hey guys, we should get going.”

Thomas nodded and moved to follow, but Manuel stopped him with an outstretched arm. “No, not you.”

Thomas was sure he had misheard him. “What do you mean, not me? I’m coming with you.”

Manuel shook his head. “I can’t imagine Cristiano leaving without some form of surveillance. Our every move is probably being watched, that’s why I called a friend of mine to get us out of here without them noticing. And you, Thomas, will behave properly by staying here where they can see you in order to give us a headstart.”

Thomas stamped his foot. “I’m not playing bait.”

“Yes, you are!” Manuel countered and his tone brooked no dissent. “Within the last 24 hours you saved Robert from drowning, kidnapped him from a hospital, gave him shelter and stood up to the CIA for him. So I guess you made it perfectly clear that he is important to you for some reason. That’s why they won’t expect you two to separate.”

Thomas shut his mouth, because Manuel’s plan was very plausible, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. It just felt wrong though he didn’t know why.

Robert touched his shoulders and he let himself be turned towards the older man. 

“He’s right. This way there’s a good chance that we can pull this off without causing any trouble to your friend.”

Bringing up Philipp was such an unfair move. Thomas couldn’t say  _No_ now and he was sure Robert knew that.

“You call me as soon as you get there.”

Robert nodded and squeezed his shoulder gratefully before following Manuel who was walking towards the only room without windows, the storeroom. 

Thomas gave his living room a quick once-over, almost expecting to find micro cameras on the ceiling. Then he sat down on the couch right in front of the large window and opened his newspaper to appear as nonchalant as possible.

He could hear Manuel failing to restrain his laughter. “Stop trying, you’re a lost cause.”

Thomas shot him a dark scowl.

“You should try talking to the wall.” Robert supposed and his voice sounded completely serious. “If they are watching the house, all they can see through that window is you. And they need to believe that we’re still here, so try to act like you’re not alone.”

Manuel turned to Robert with a raised eyebrow. “You’re smarter than I thought.”

“Thanks. I can’t say the same for you though.” Robert replied with a playful smirk.

“Ouch!”

Thomas smiled at both of them. “Look at you slowly becoming friends. I’m almost positive now that you’re not going to kill each other on the way to Philipp.”

Robert looked around questioningly. “Speaking of which, where’s that friend of yours, Manu?”

The blond pointed to the door. “Already here of course. He came in with me.”

Robert and Thomas turned to the door and jumped when out of nowhere a man appeared. 

He was tall, but still smaller than all of them, with ash blond hair that was bleached brighter on its ends. His small chubby nose was covered with freckles.

“Hi!” he said awkwardly.

Thomas and Robert were flabbergasted at his sudden appearance while Manuel couldn’t contain his smug grin. “That’s Basti, an old friend of mine.”

Basti smiled at the two men. “Bastian Schweinsteiger. And you guys are Thomas and Robert, I suppose.”

Thomas shook himself out of his shock. “Guilty as charged. I’m Thomas.” He gave Bastian a friendly pat on the shoulder before turning to Manuel. “How come you never told me that you knew someone else with powers?”

Manuel shrugged. “Basti has been out of the country for the last few years, so I didn’t think it was important.”

Robert offered Bastian his hand who took it gladly. “So what exactly is your ability? Can you appear at any place you want or do you become invisible?”

“Only invisible I’m afraid. At least I can make the people I touch invisible as well, so that’s something.”

Robert shook his head with an admiring smile. “No, it’s a great ability. I wish I could do that sometimes, so people would leave me alone.”

Bastian finally relaxed and returned the smile. “Yes, occasionally there’s comfort in solitude.” 

Manuel coughed and they turned their attention to him. “I hate to interrupt you guys, but I’m sure we will have more than enough time to talk at Philipp’s house. I have the feeling there’s still much explaining to do.” His gaze turned to Robert before he moved for them to follow. They entered the store room, leaving Thomas alone in the living room.

When the small door opened again, there was no one inside or at least Thomas couldn’t  _see_ anyone. But he was sure he could hear three pairs of feet tripping to his front door.

It opened as well and now Thomas was truly alone.

Remembering Robert’s suggestion he turned his head towards the wall and moved his lips as though he was talking. It felt stupid doing that, especially if there was actually someone watching him from outside.

He couldn’t have been alone for more than ten minutes during which he wondered where the others were right now, when all of a sudden a familiar black car pulled up in his driveway.

“Damn!” he muttered at the sight of Cristiano stepping out and coming up to his door.

When the doorbell rang, Thomas ignored it, hoping Cristiano would go away. Problem was that the latter knew that Thomas was here. Thomas jumped when his mobile rang and he pulled it out of his pocket hastily.

_Unknown number_

He had a suspicion who the caller was, but something told him that he should be answering it nevertheless.

“Hello?”

“ _You should let me in, Thomas.”_ Cristiano’s voice was cheerful and Thomas could imagine that damn bright smile he despised so much.

“Thanks, but whatever you have to say, I’m not interested.”

“ _I don’t think so.”_ Cristiano replied calmly. _“Do you think I don’t know that you’re alone in there?”_ That made Thomas’ blood run cold. _“The idea was great, I have to give you that. To find someone who can turn people invisible, that’s not bad. But you forgot that special agents usually have a partner. And mine has the very useful gift to negate the abilities of the people around him.”_ Thomas felt sick. _“He’s chasing them through the city right now and without Robert’s abilities and your living invisibility cloak, he’ll be able to catch them easily. I told him not to use firearms, but I might change my mind. Unless you accept the proposal I’d like to submit to you.”_

Thomas swallowed hard. He didn’t want to make any kind of deal with Cristiano, but his friend’s lives were on the line.

“Fine, I will listen to it.”

He ended the call and finally opened the front door. 

Cristiano was standing there, smug as always, and Thomas regretted not punching him harder when he’d still had the chance.

“Good choice.”

“I only agreed to hearing you out, I haven’t accepted anything yet.” Thomas warned him though he was sure he didn’t fool anybody.

He didn’t have another option after all.

Cristiano strode in confidently and walked right into the living room, flopping down on the couch like he owned it.

Thomas followed him anxiously. “So what about your proposal?”

“Right,” Cristiano replied and his smile disappeared. He looked thoughtful now. “But in order for you to understand, I need to explain first. Sit down, it’s a long story.”

Thomas walked over and sat down at the other side of the couch. 

Cristiano turned towards him and began to speak.

“Thirty years ago the parents of five year old boy Iker Casillas were found dead in their home. The official cause of death in both cases was a heart attack. Interestingly their boy had a different story. When the police arrived, he screamed at them that they had been murdered even though there was no sign pointing towards the same. They didn’t believe him of course, after all he was a child and they blamed his wild imagination.”

Despite his resolution Thomas found himself intrigued. “I guess the boy was right?”

Cristiano nodded. “A few days later a former friend of the family committed suicide by shooting himself. He left a note where he confessed the murders of Mr. and Mrs. Casillas. Apparently he had been fighting with them and accidentally killed them with the gift God had given him.”

Thomas’ eyes widened. “He had an ability?”

“Apparently. The police wrote it off as the convictions of a religionist and didn’t investigate the case further. But Iker didn’t forget. After growing up in various foster families, he joined the police and eventually the CIA. In the span of just three years he founded a department that specialized on finding these gifted people. All of those agents are handpicked by him and all of them have experienced similar events. They think our kind is a danger and needs to be eliminated.”

Thomas swallowed. “Why are you telling me all of this?”

“Because I need every help that I can get in taking this organization down.”

Thomas was sure he had just misheard him. “Taking it down? But you’re working for them.”

“Yes, because it’s the easiest way to save as many of us as possible.”

Thomas laughed. “By killing us? Great job at saving us, thank you very much!” 

Cristiano sighed. “I already told you that Robert is the only one I’d like to kill. And I’m here to negotiate his future, so please calm down.”

Thomas crossed his arms in defiance, but let Cristiano continue.

“I used to have a friend with an ability, a partner in crime if you want to put it like that. We searched for people like us and took them under our wings. My friend wanted to show them how to control their abilities and blend in with others. I on the other hand wanted them to learn how to use their abilities. Naturally that didn’t work out for long. One of the three men we had picked up and who had decided to suppress his ability, eventually lost control of it and accidentally killed one of the others. My friend blamed himself because he had been the one going on about how important it was to appear normal and blend in. He left us the day after and we haven’t heard from him since. That was two years ago.” Cristiano paused and looked lost for the first time Thomas could remember.

“I’m sorry about that.” Thomas said and he meant it. “But I still don’t see why you decided to tell me this.”

Cristiano’s eyes to him, eyes piercing him. “Oh, I think you do.”

None of them said another word until Thomas’ eyes widened in understanding. “The guy who lost control. That was Robert.”

“Yes,” Cristiano said surprisingly softly. “But it’s not the reason why I wanted to kill him. We’re all human, we all are bound to make mistakes. I believed that there was still hope for Robert as long as he learnt how to control his ability. The problem is that in order to control it, we need to learn its extent, the limits of its power. The problem with Robert is that he doesn’t have that kind of boundaries. By gaining a new ability, he sets the bar higher and higher. That’s why he will never be able to control his abilities, they will always control him instead.”

Thomas hated how plausible all of this sounded. It had been so easy hating Cristiano and now he was starting to understand where the other man came from. “You can’t blame him for one accident.”

“I don’t,” Cristiano agreed. “I’m not blaming him for anything. But it’s part of his gift to always learn and acquire new abilities. He will never be able to stop. I’ve seen him trying to deal with Mario’s ability after that accident. I’ve seen him trying to deal with mine. For a while he’s like a ticking time bomb, lashing out with his new ability like a tiger in a trap. And because he’s becoming more powerful, it gets worse every time. It won’t be long before others will suffer because of that.”

Thomas closed his eyes after that. He could relate to Cristiano’s motives now, but he refused to believe there was no other option. “You know what? You’re such a hypocrite! You judge Iker for killing our kind when you’re doing the same! And don’t tell me it’s just one man! Because soon there will be someone else who is too dangerous for this world and then you need to kill him too. You can tell yourself that you’re doing it for the greater good, but you’re still a murderer.”

Cristiano’s eyes were narrowed to slits, but eventually he averted his gaze. “You have your position, I have mine. It doesn’t matter, because like I said, I’m willing to let him live.”

“And what are your conditions?” Thomas asked doubtfully. 

“You’re giving him back to us.” Cristiano deadpanned.

“Sure. So that you can kill him once we turn our backs to you? Not really.”

Cristiano ignored the jab. “My partner can negate his powers. He did that until Robert escaped. He can do it again.”

“No!” The word was out before Thomas could even think about it. He wasn’t going to let someone enchain Robert like a wild animal.

Cristiano seemed to have read his thoughts. “It’s not painful for him. He was the one to suggest it the last time.”

“Why would he do that?” Thomas asked.

“For the same reason that I wanted to kill him. Because he was afraid of hurting someone else.”

Thomas bit his lip as he tried to understand. “If you two were on the same page about this, then why did he run away?”

“That friend of mine who disappeared after the accident with Mario. He called and told us that he has found a way to stop Iker.”

Thomas only raised his eyebrow questioningly.

“Well, his definition of stopping is different from mine. “

Thomas couldn’t help but smile gloatingly. “Let me guess. Your version includes killing Iker and his didn’t?”

Cristiano didn’t reply, but he didn’t argue either. So the answer was obvious. 

“I already like that guy.”

“Anyway, Robert chose to switch sides and leave me. And now he’s on the run and has to deal with his ability for the first time in two years.”

Thomas let that sink in. It shed some new light on the issue and it was indeed a reckless move by Robert to abandon his safety net like that.

Suddenly Cristiano’s cellphone rang. Cristiano took it and looked briefly at the number before meeting Thomas’ eyes with a small grin. “That’s my partner. I guess the hunt is over and he’s captured your friends. So now it’s up to you how many of them are going to return.”

Thomas swallowed. Robert would hate him for this, but if Thomas wanted to see him alive again, he didn’t have a choice. “Okay, fine, I agree. You can have him, I won’t interfere as long as you don’t hurt him.”

Cristiano smiled victoriously. “Good choice, Thomas.”

He answered the call. “He agreed to it. You…” He broke off with a frown that turned into a furious scowl. “What do you mean he got away?”

At the same moment Thomas’ own cellphone rang and when he looked at the display, his heart sank.

“Manu?”

“ _I’m sorry, Thomas, I shouldn’t have told him.”_ Manuel’s voice was panicked.

“Whoa, calm down. What’s wrong?” Thomas asked irritated.

“ _I just had a vision. Of you agreeing to a deal with Cristiano. That agent following us asked me what the matter was and I told him. As soon as Robert heard it, he threw himself out of the car. The agent tried shooting him down, but missed him fortunately.”_

Thomas’ heart missed a beat. “What did you just say?!”

“ _I’m sorry, it all happened so fast.”_

Thomas dropped the cellphone and sank back into the cushions of his couch. Cristiano did the same a minute after.

“I thought your great partner negates the powers of people around him. How come that Manuel had a vision, then?”

Cristiano had closed his eyes and looked like he wanted to punch something. “He needs to focus on the people whose abilities he wants to suppress. And neither of us knew that your friend had a gift of his own.”

Thomas sighed. “So now we’re back to square one.”

“He’s going to contact you,” Cristiano interposed, but he didn’t sound convinced.

Thomas shook his head slowly. “Manu’s vision wasn’t very specific. All Robert knows is that I sold him out to the man trying to kill him. He lost all the trust he’s ever had in me.” It was devastating saying it out loud. Thomas tried to ignore the stab of pain in his chest. 

Cristiano got up from the couch. “My partner’s coming here. If we want to find Robert, you and your friends need to play with open cards and work together with us.”

Thomas looked over to Cristiano. “Our deal still stands?”

“Yes, I won’t hurt Robert. Speaking of which, Robert can’t have got far. My partner said they were on the highway when he jumped. He’s got to have some bruises, so he will have to go to a hospital. Maybe we can find him by searching the surrounding hospitals.”

“That sounds a bit too easy, but we can try,” Thomas responded.

They waited in silence until a car pulled up next to Cristiano’s in the driveway.

Manuel and Bastian strode in, both of them entirely crestfallen. The man behind them was slightly smaller than the latter and around Thomas’ age. His blond hair was smoothed backwards, his movements impatient, light green eyes scanning the room until they found Thomas sitting on the couch. His gaze hardened for a moment before moving to Cristiano.

“I pulled the car over after he jumped. He was gone by then.”

“What do you mean he was _gone_?” Cristiano spat angrily. “He can’t just disappear. You should have been able to feel his powers.”

“That’s the strange thing. When I pulled over there was a small trace of his powers, but it dissolved within a few seconds.”

His answer seemed to confuse Cristiano even further. “You said once you can only feel them dissolving when the target is getting out of reach.”

His partner nodded. “That’s exactly what it felt like.”

“But your range is approximately a mile!” Cristiano argued, barely able to contain his anger.

“Don’t you think I know that?” 

Thomas had quietly listened to their conversation, but he figured now was a good time to defuse the situation. “Slow down, both of you! Who the hell are you anyway?”

Cristiano’s partner turned to him and his eyes were burning now. 

It was Cristiano who answered though. “Do you remember that I told you there were three people who I put under my wings? There’s Robert, Mario is dead and this is the third guy, Marco Reus.”

Thomas tried to smile politely. “Well, I’m…”

“I know who you are!” Marco cut him off and for some reason he sounded furious.

Thomas frowned and pulled back the hand he had offered.

He saw Cristiano give Marco a warning glare. “Behave yourself, we’re working together now.”

Marco turned away from Thomas, but he was still giving off those negative vibes. Thomas wondered why the guy hated him already. Was he just a natural hothead or was there more to it?

But Cristiano was back to business now. “We need to check the surrounding hospitals and medical offices and get a profile of every new patient. Don’t bother with names, Robert won’t check in with his real name as long as he suspects we’re after him.” Cristiano grabbed the keys to his car, briefly checking his pockets for his CIA badge and striding to the door with Marco following him.

“I’ll call you once I got all the files.” Then they were gone.

Thomas stared after them, the sudden silence making him uncomfortable. He fell back into the pillow behind him and closed his eyes. He couldn’t believe how gloriously things had gone wrong.

The cushion dipped as someone sat down next to him hesitantly.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told him.” The same words from before, only more upset now.

Thomas glanced back at Manuel. “It wasn’t your fault. You had no idea Robert was going to react like that. Besides, why are you even apologizing to me?” He shrugged. “Without him both of your visions concerning me are yesterday’s news now. I should be glad that he is gone.”

Instead of agreeing with him Manuel kept quiet. His expression saddened even more. “Don’t do that.”

“What?” Thomas asked sharper than necessary.

“Don’t act like you don’t care. You didn’t want him to leave.”

Thomas hated that Manuel could see right through him. He averted his eyes. “I should be glad.” He repeated, but it sounded hollow now like a lie used to often to convince anybody.

“But you aren’t,” Manuel replied softly and it sounded like he was waiting for something though Thomas had no idea what that could be.

“Why do you care anyway? You were the one telling me over and over that I shouldn’t help him. You got what you wanted.” He knew he was being unfair now, but he couldn’t help it. 

Manuel’s expression didn’t change. “I wanted him to stay away from you. But I didn’t want you to be miserable. I realize now that those two things don’t go together.”

“I’m not miserable,” Thomas argued even though he knew Manuel wouldn’t buy it. “I just met the guy. It’s not like we were friends or something like that.”

“Are you sure about that?” Manuel asked before getting up and leaving Thomas to brood over this mess.

Bastian had been standing there the entire time, shifting from one foot to the other awkwardly. Now he was taking Manuel’s place beside Thomas. 

“I probably should keep quiet because I know nothing about you and Robert. But I think you should get the rest of the story before writing him off like that.”

“Cristiano just told me the whole story.” Thomas explained.

“Did he? Because if it’s the same story that Marco told us during our drive back here, then there’s one thing I can’t get my head around.”

“Just one thing?” Thomas couldn’t help but ask.

Bastian hit his shoulder playfully. “Hey, I’m trying to help here!”

Thomas grinned. “Sorry, please go on.”

“Marco said Robert let him suppress his abilities for two years, because he was afraid of hurting people. Then why didn’t he take Marco with him when he left Cristiano?”

“Cristiano said his friend doesn’t want to kill Iker and Robert agrees with that. Marco is Cristiano’s partner now, so it’s obvious whose side he’s on.”

Bastian looked like he had expected that answer. “You need to learn not to judge people prematurely. Because you should have seen the way Marco looked at Robert when he caught us. They definitely have unfinished business.”

Thomas finally turned towards Bastian. “What do you mean?”

“Marco said Robert should have told him about his plan. He would have left Cristiano as well and gone with Robert.”

“And?” Thomas asked. He still didn’t see Bastian’s point.

“Robert’s reply was interesting to say the least. He said, _‘I need to do this on my own. I know I’m going to die, but I won’t take you down with me. Not again.’_ ”

Thomas had been sure he couldn’t feel worse, but he had been wrong.

“He’s out on a suicide mission?”

Bastian nodded. “Whatever it is that he plans to pull off, he’s convinced it’s going to kill him. And he’s on the run because he wants to protect the people he cares about.”

They fell silent then. Thomas forced himself to sit there even though all he wanted to do was get out of here, find Robert and shake some sense into him.

He didn’t manage more than ten minutes before it became too much and he got up. He walked into his kitchen where Manuel was leaning against the sink, being Thomas’ calm anchor as usual.

Thomas felt the need to say something. “Thank you.” Manuel looked at him questioningly. “For looking out for me. I know I should appreciate it more often.” It didn’t feel quite right, because he wanted to say more, but he couldn’t put his gratitude into proper words. 

Manuel seemed to understand though. “You’re welcome.” He smiled and in that moment Thomas’ cellphone rang.

Thomas recognized the number from earlier. “What’s up, Cristiano? Did you already find something?”

“ _No, not yet. We’ve got another problem.”_ He sounded deadly serious and Thomas switched to speaker so Manuel could hear it as well.

“What’s wrong?”

“ _Iker called me to get the latest updates on Robert’s whereabouts. The last time I had talked to him about this was shortly before that accident on the bridge. He knows Robert has been kidnapped from the hospital and said that he got the name of a suspect.”_ Thomas inhaled sharply while Manuel tensed visibly. _“He gave me your name and address. I’m sorry, Thomas, but I can’t blow my cover just yet if we want to stop Iker. I’m on my way back to you and until I arrive, the three of you need to be gone.”_

“Thanks for warning us,” Thomas said before ending the call.

Manuel was already dragging a confused Bastian to the door and Thomas quickly grabbed the bag of clothes he had initially packed for Robert. How ironic that now he was on the run as well. 

“Where are we going?” Bastian asked over Manuel’s shoulder.

“A friend of mine who lives at the other side of Munich,” Thomas replied briefly before following them out onto the street.

“Then shouldn’t we take your car?” Bastian asked while they hurried into the direction of the metro station. 

“We can’t. I bet when Cristiano tells Iker that I disappeared, my car plates will be one of the first things he’ll track down.”

They ran until they reached the station and entered the metro train. As soon as the doors closed and the display switched to the next station, Thomas allowed himself to relax. He instantly dialed Philipp’s number.

“ _Thomas?”_ His friend picked up, sounding surprised.

“Hey. Remember that I said Robert will be staying with you for a few days?”

“ _Of course I do. He was supposed to be here by now.”_

“Yeah, about that. There’s been a change of plans. It’s not Robert who’s coming over but me. Oh, and two friends of mine. Please don’t say no, it’s literally a matter of life and death.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all I owe each and every one of you a heartfelt apology.  
> I was planning on updating last Thursday, but the last one and a half weeks have been so eventful and I had some personal problems that kept me from continuing this story.  
> As some of you may have noticed already, it did result in another Müllendowski story (of which I'm more than proud), so I guess it hasn't all been for nothing. ;) And I'm currently working on another one shot and a multi-chapter fic, so there's much more to come...
> 
> Also, please note that I changed the summary of this story because I realize now that it is going in a slightly different direction than I first anticipated.
> 
> \----------

An hour later the four of them were sitting together at Philipp’s table. Thomas’ cellphone was lying in the middle like a bringer of bad tidings. With each minute ticking by Thomas couldn’t help but wonder what Cristiano was doing right now. Was Iker mad that his targets had once again slipped through his grasp? Was he suspecting that he had a mole in his midst? If so, then did he know that it was Cristiano himself? Then was Cristiano still alive? And what about Robert?

“I can hear you thinking from here,” Manuel said with without looking at him, his hands supporting his head. He looked exhausted.

“We can’t just sit here and do nothing. We have to do something, _anything_!”

Manuel dropped his hands so hard that they made a loud clonk as they hit the surface. “What about laying low have you not understood?! We need to stay away from Iker’s radar and that means we will stay here and do nothing until Cristiano calls.”

So they did exactly that. The hours ticked by and nothing happened until eventually the sun went down and Philipp left for his nightshift. It made the others painfully aware of how much time had passed already.

“Cristiano should have called by now. Something must have happened to him.”

Manuel, long since used to Thomas’ impatience, didn’t react at all. 

Bastian on the other hand got up from the table. “Well, Marco is on our side now, so I guess there is no danger in using my powers to turn myself invisible. I could go back to your place, maybe find something out.”

The idea was tempting. But it was still too risky.

“I know you’re just trying to help, but no. Within the last few days this whole situation has got out of control. And I have the feeling that we have still many missing pieces in this puzzle. So until we don’t know all the details, I won’t let you put yourself in danger anymore.”

For the first time since they had met, Thomas could see anger cross Bastian’s face. “Robert could be dead for all that we know and Cristiano is our best shot at finding him.”

“Don’t you think I’m aware of that?” Thomas countered indignantly. 

Manuel sighed and just when he raised his hands to placate both men, Thomas’ phone rang. The three of them froze for a second and then Thomas quickly snatched it from the table.

Unknown number.

He accepted the call immediately.

“Cristiano?”

“ _No, it’s me.”_

Not exactly the voice he had hoped for but close enough. “Marco.” Upon seeing Manuel’s and Bastian’s curious faces, he switched to speaker. “Where’s Cristiano? Did something happen to him?”

“ _He’s alright. But with this new failure Iker has become suspicious now. He suspects that Cristiano helps the targets to escape and go into hiding.”_

Thomas swallowed hard. “Shit. And now?”

“ _He has been suspended from duty for the time being and is being watched by the CIA. Since he’s been the one in command, Iker doesn’t suspect me as well. He has paired me up with someone else.”_

Manuel inhaled sharply and voiced what Thomas had been thinking as well. “And I guess your new partner is someone who’s very dedicated to the cause.”

“ _Exactly. So it would be better for the safety of everyone if we kept our contact to an absolute minimum. I may be able to set him on the wrong track and lead him away from you.”_

Thomas’ grip around the cellphone tightened as he followed Marco’s line of thought. “Hold on a second. If he gets wind of you having a power or just helping targets like us, he’s going to kill you instead.”

There was a little pause on the other end of the line.

“ _My job has always been risky.”_

“Yes, but not like this. Not as long as you and Cristiano could stick together.”

“ _Perhaps you’re right. But there’s nothing I can do about it now.”_

Marco didn’t sound bitter or resigned. Like Thomas would have expected him to. If anything he sounded determent. It reminded him painfully of Robert.

“What is wrong with you guys? How can you and Robert put your own lives at risk like it’s nothing more than a bargaining chip in a game?”

Marco was silent for so long that Thomas was sure he wouldn’t get an answer. 

“ _What else should you do with your life than risk it for the people you love?”_

The complete honesty in his voice threw Thomas off. He remembered his conversation with Bastian from earlier that day when the latter had told him about Marco and Robert having unfinished business. Now he understood what Bastian had meant. There was something going on that he needed to know in order to understand both Marco’s and Robert’s actions.

“We need to talk in person, Marco.”

“ _I told you we should avoid further contact.”_

“Don’t you think you’re alone in this mess just because Cristiano can’t help you.” He put as much emphasis as possible in his next words. “You’re one of us. And we protect each other.”

Once again Marco was rendered silent. But this time there was something different about it, something loaded.

“ _Fine. But I can’t come to you. Iker may have listed Cristiano as his main suspect, but I bet he’s letting his men watch me as well, just to be on the safe side.”_

“An unsuspicious place then. How about the metro?”

“ _The metro?”_ Marco asked dumbfounded. _“How is that supposed to work?”_

“Easy. You tell us which time and station you get in on your way back from work and we’ll talk there. I doubt the agent tailing you will be able to stick to your side without you noticing, so he will keep his distance and we should be able to talk without anyone noticing.”

Thomas couldn’t help but be proud of himself for figuring out this great plan.

“ _You’re crazy,”_ Marco stated with an audible grin in his voice.

“I know. That’s why it is going to work.”

 

The dark of the night had set in at the time Thomas entered the metro at the time Marco told him over the phone. It took a lot of persuasion to get Manuel to let him leave, but with Bastian’s help he managed it. 

Thomas got in at the station closest to Philipp’s house which was seven minutes away from Marco’s. The metro was almost empty and Thomas took a seat at the back, hands in the pockets of his pants, the hood of his dark red sweater pulled over his head. His head was turned to the window, but his eyes roamed over the few people he could see.

When Marco entered, he averted his gaze, waiting as the blond made his way towards him and eventually sat down across from him.

They waited until the metro moved again and Thomas exhaled in relief when he noticed the three people in their compartment had exited and they were alone now. The benefits of living on the outskirts. Perhaps Marco wasn’t being watched as closely as he had thought.

Marco turned his head out of the window as well even though there was nothing to see but dark tunnel walls. “I wasn’t sure you would come.”

Thomas resisted the urge to meet his eyes. Marco sounded insecure like he wasn't sure how to proceed or what to expect from their talk.

“I meant what I said earlier. We won't let you do this, not alone.”

“Why?”

At that Thomas had to look at Marco despite better judgement. “I told you, you're one of us. We have to help each other.”

“You don't even know me. Why would you trust me?”

Thomas had to think about his answer for a moment. “I'm not trusting you, not really. But I need every help that I can get in finding Robert. And something tells me I can trust you when it comes to him.”

Marco turned towards him and his eyes were burning again, like in that moment when they had first met. There were too many emotions in them for Thomas to unravel them.

“I don't want to talk about this, but I guess you have a right to know.”

Thomas frowned. “Know what?”

Marco shook his head. “Not here. Let's exit at the next station and walk a bit.”

“What if somebody is following us?”

“This compartment is empty. So either the agent is in another one and won't see us leave until it's too late. Or he's already waiting at my place.”

Thomas followed Marco who guided him out of Munich's underground and within two minutes they were alone in a back valley.

After walking in silence for a short while, Marco finally began to speak.

“I guess Cristiano told you about what happened to Mario, right?”

Thomas gave a silent nod.

“Well, there's more to that story, a lot more. Mario, Robert and me, we were very close. We started out as best friends, but then that friendship between the three of us changed. Mario and I eventually realized that we were in love with each other.”

That revelation surprised Thomas. “I suspected there was something going on between you and Robert.”

Marco laughed, but it didn't sound amused at all. “Well, you're not completely wrong, but I'll get to that soon enough.” He sighed and picked up from before, “Robert was very supportive when we told him about it and he helped hiding our relationship from Cristiano at first. We weren't sure if he would tolerate a relationship between two of his students as long as we didn't have full control over our abilities.”

“What changed?” Thomas asked and he knew he had hit home when the gleam, that memory had brought to Marco's eyes, vanished. Now there was bitterness in his eyes.

“One day we were sitting together in Robert's room because he was having a fever. Not a bad one, he was still conscious, just tired and bedridden. We were watching TV, Mario and me leaning against the headboard and Robert at Mario's other side. Suddenly they had the idea that Mario's ability might be able to help with the fever.” Marco paused, obviously trying to compose himself.

“What was his ability?” Thomas tried to nudge him forward.

“He could freeze things. At first only by touching it, but after a bit of training with Cristiano he learned to freeze things by merely concentrating on it. I thought it was a good idea. God, I was so stupid!” There were tears in Marco's eyes now, but he seemed adamant not to let them fall. “It worked. But it also triggered Robert's ability.”

“Do you mean he copied Mario's ability? What's so bad about it?”

Marco's eyes turned cold. “To most of us it's an ability. I could never hurt people with my ability only, but the others like Mario learned to direct it into the right channels. So eventually it's a gift you learn to cherish. But that's not the case for Robert. His ability is a curse and nothing else.” His voice was laced with pain now. “He knew that as well, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen a different path than us.”  
“A different path?”

“Cristiano let us test our abilities to learn how to control them. Robert chose the other way because he knew his power was too dangerous for the people closest to him.”

Thomas remembered that part from Cristiano's story. “He believed in suppressing his abilities like Cristiano's friend did.”

Marco looked at him briefly. “Yes, if you want to put like that.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Thomas asked.

Marco laughed. “They were a lot of things, but I don't think the term friends applied to them.”  
“But Cristiano said-”

“Well, Cristiano is stupid! But aren't we all?”

Now Thomas was at loss of how to proceed. 

Fortunately Marco seemed intent on finishing his tale. “Anyway, Robert's ability flared up like a wildfire and because he had never learnt how to deal with it, he couldn't stop tragedy from happening.”

Finally the pieces were coming together. “He learned how to freeze himself. And killed Mario in the process.”

Marco nodded. “I wanted to intervene, but I only realized things were getting out of hand when it was too late. And Robert's ability seemed to anticipate my intentions because it froze me before finishing Mario off.”

“You make it sound like Robert's ability has an intelligence if its own.”

“You would understand if you had seen it with your own eyes. Robert and Mario were best friends; Robert would have never let it come to this. His ability took over the moment it realized Mario could heal its weakened host.”

“I'm sorry,” Thomas said softly and reached out for Marco's shoulder.

“There's still more,” Marco said and Thomas only now noticed that they had stopped walking. “We were both a mess after Mario's death. And I wanted to hate him, I really did, but I couldn't.” Marco's expression softened even though there was still nothing gentle about it. “I couldn't hate him more than he already hated himself.”

Finally Robert's strange behavior was starting to make sense. Thomas dropped his eyes to the ground. “He felt guilty for Mario's death. He still does.”

Both men resumed walking, but now there was silence between them. Marco seemed lost in his memories while Thomas tried to come to terms with that new information. 

Shortly before reaching Marco’s house, Marco turned to Thomas. “Listen, I’ll try to keep in contact with you and not raise Iker’s suspicions. Maybe I find a way out soon enough while you’re searching for Robert. But there’s one last thing I want you to know.” He paused before proceeding with a warning tone in his voice. “I like you, I really do. But I won’t let Robert go with you.”

Thomas frowned. “What? Why?”

There it was again, that almost manic glint in Marco’s eyes. “Robert and I need to stick together. I won’t let you take him away from me.”

Then he turned away and crossed the street to get to a small apartment, presumably his own. Though he hadn’t said anything, Thomas knew Marco didn’t want him to follow. He was busy rolling those words around in his head anyway.

Marco’s side of the story had finally explained a bit of the reasons for Robert’s behavior, but it has also revealed that Marco was fixated on Robert for some reason. If it wasn’t his intention to make Robert feel miserable for his lover’s death, then what was it? 

He was barely aware of reaching the metro station, but just when the vehicle’s doors opened before him, his cellphone rang. He jumped as his thoughts were interrupted by the loud ringing and a number, he had never seen before, showed up on the display.

“Yes?” he answered warily.

He could hear the person on the other end of the line exhale his breath.

_Thank God. Are you alright?_

Thomas forgot to breathe and almost dropped his cellphone at the familiar voice.

“Robert?”

“ _Yes, it’s me. Listen, I’m sorry I dragged you into this. I should have just left the morning I woke up on your couch.”_

“Hold on, Robert. Where are you?”

He was met by silence. “Dammit, Robert! I had no idea if you were dead or alive, you owe me an answer!”

“ _I’m with a friend. Don’t worry, I’m fine. Just a few scratches from jumping out of the driving car, but nothing serious. What about you? Did Cristiano hurt you?”_

“No. That’s another thing we need to talk about. Cristiano has agreed to stop his hunt on you.”

“ _Why?”_

“Because we have a common enemy. There’s no sense in fighting each other when we are more powerful together.”

Robert didn’t say anything which unsettled Thomas.

“Did you hear me? Cristiano doesn’t want to kill you anymore.”

“ _He should though. He knows how dangerous I could be.”_

It was obvious that Robert didn’t believe in the value of his own life anymore. Thomas hesitated briefly before playing his last card. “Marco told me about what happened with Mario.”

This time the silence from Robert didn’t surprise him. 

“What happened wasn’t your fault. You had no control over your powers, you shouldn’t blame yourself like this.”

The laugh he received in return was hollow and high-pitched _. “Actions are not the only things that define who you are. What you choose not to do, can have just as many consequences and I chose to ignore Cristiano’s warning. The day we met he told me that my ability was dangerous and I would be carrying a great responsibility. I should have listened to him and actually trained my ability, maybe Mario would still be alive then.”_

At that last part Robert’s voice broke. Thomas tried to think of something to make him better, anything to lessen his pain. “Marco forgave you. You should forgive yourself too.”

“ _You’re wrong,”_ Robert argued. _“I doubt that Marco has told you everything, so believe me when I say that – even though he tries - he has not forgiven me. He never will. And I can’t blame him. I killed the person he has loved the most. There’s no forgiveness for that.”_

God, there was so much pain in his voice. “You’re the last friend he has. He needs you to be there for him.”

“ _I know. That’s why I stayed at first. I was surprised he could even stand my sight, but when he asked me to stay with him, I did. I wanted to do everything in my power to make up for my mistake. But over time I realized that the only way to help him is to stay away from him.”_

“How can you say something like that? You cannot leave him to deal alone with this.”

“ _You’re saying the exact thing I told myself as well. But trust me, I’ve been there and done that. Marco needs to move on. From Mario. From me.”_

Thomas gripped his cellphone tighter. “This sounds like goodbye.”

An agonizing moment of silence.  _“It is. I’ve hurt enough people, I don’t intend to add you to my list. I’m going to make amends for it now. Or at least I’ll try.”_

Thomas felt his heart pounding in his chest. He needed to stop Robert and make him see reason. “No, don’t do that, please! I can’t let you die!”

“ _Goodbye, Thomas.”_

Then the line went dead.

“Dammit!” Thomas screamed in desperation. 

He turned around, intent on running back to the only person that could change Robert’s mind, but he came face to face with a stranger.

“Gotcha!”

All he could make out was a man slightly shorter than him and a few years his senior with light brown hair. Then something hard hit his head and his vision turned black.


	7. Chapter 7

His head was throbbing. Pulsing pain beating to a consistent rhythm of its own. A headache.

Thomas opened his eyes, but closed them immediately at the bright lights. Damn, that hurt even more!

“Thomas?”

His eyes snapped open and yes, he was indeed face to face with Marco. The smaller blond was standing to his right, but there was a glass window separating them. Only then did Thomas realize that he wasn’t lying on the ground but on a smooth, cold surface and he couldn’t move. He looked down and realized that he was strapped to a steel table. A quick glance to Marco told him that the other man was in a similar position.

“Where are we?”

“A special prison underneath Iker’s house.”

“Hm,” was Thomas’ not so intelligent answer. “I didn’t know that Iker is living in Munich.”

Marco turned to him with a slight grin on his face. “He isn’t. He’s living in Spain.”

Thomas’ eyes widened. “We’re in Spain?!”

“Apparently,” Marco replied before eying Thomas carefully. “You were out for two whole days. What exactly happened?”

Thomas tried to arrange the confusing thoughts in his head and that’s when the memories of his last call with Robert came back to him.

“Shit, we need to get out of here now!”

“Don’t you think I tried? This is as escape-proof as an actual prison.”

Thomas squirmed against his restraints in panic. “No, you don’t understand, this is about Robert.”

Marco froze instantly. “What about him?”

“We talked on the phone right before I was smacked down. He’s planning to go through with that damn plan. He’s going to die!”

Marco’s green eyes darkened in fury. “No, he’s not. I told him he can’t die on me. Not after Mario.”

Before Thomas could respond, there was the sound of a steel door opening and a man entered his cell. It took Thomas two seconds to identify him as the man who had smacked him down.

He approached the table with Thomas on it slowly, a mocking grin on his face. “Ah, so you’re finally awake.”

“Who are you?” Thomas asked coldly.

“Not that it matters, but it's Sergio. I would say it's nice to meet you, but that would be a lie, so let's leave it at that.”

Thomas could hear Marco inhale sharply. “Sergio? Sergio Ramos?”

For the first time since entering Sergio acknowledged Marco's presence. “Oh, so you  _do_ remember my name. Don't worry, I'll come to you later. I'll deal with the big fish here first.”

Thomas glanced at Marco. “You know him?”

“Not really. But Iker told me a guy named Sergio Ramos would be my new partner. Guess that's not gonna happen anymore.”

Thomas jumped in surprise when he felt a hand on his tied wrist. 

Sergio smiled at him. “You know, as long as you're cooperative, I won't hurt you. I just have a few questions for now.”

“Really? You could have just asked, no need to go through all this trouble.”

Sergio sighed. “Your mouth is going to bring you into trouble sooner rather than later.” He leaned forward until he was almost looming over the younger man. “So let's start with the easiest question. “How did you manage to drag one of our agents into this? Or rather two, if Iker's suspicions concerning Cristiano are right.”

Thomas shrugged nonchalantly. “I didn't have to do anything. Cause contrary to you they have a heart.”

Sergio's smile only widened. “Didn't I just tell you to watch that mouth of yours?” Then his hand tightened and he twisted Thomas' wrist.

Thomas screamed at the stab of pain jolting through his arm. Sergio let go of hm after that and sat down on the surface of the table next to Thomas' body. 

“When Iker told me about Cristiano, I already knew Marco couldn't be completely innocent. Partners need to be able to trust each other, they can't work successfully on their own. There was no way Marco wouldn't have known something. The only thing I wasn't sure of was his view on those things. Did he share Cristiano's beliefs? Or did he condemn them? So I decided to keep an eye on him for the next few days. And two days ago I was waiting near his house when I saw him walking side by side with you.” Thomas could see that Sergio was reaching out for something on the small table behind his head though he had no idea what it was.

Sergio looked serious now. “You're haunted, Thomas. According to Iker you might be the only person who knows where Robert Lewandowski is. So you're very valuable, I can't kill you. But that doesn't mean I can't hurt you.”

He pulled back his hand and Thomas had just enough time to see a flash of silver before something slashed his upper arm and another wave of pain hit him. It wasn't hurting as bad as his wrist, but he could feel a lot of blood dripping down his arms.

“Leave him be!” Marco shouted from his right, but Sergio ignored him.

“I think I made my point clear. So let's try another question and I really hope for your sake that you can give me a useful answer. Where is Lewandowski?”

Thomas turned his head until he could see Marco. The expression in his eyes was clear, he was begging for him to keep his mouth shut and protect Robert.

Well, that was one thing they definitely agreed on.

“Sorry, pal, I can't help you. He called me to say goodbye forever and he gave me no hint regarding his whereabouts cause he knew I'd follow him.” This time it was Thomas' turn to grin. “But even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you.”

Surprise crossed Sergio's face, but he was quick to cover it up. “Well, if that's true and you don't know anything, your life is of no use to Iker.”

This time Thomas was prepared for the pain as Sergio buried the knife below his right collarbone. The pain was excruciating as he tried to keep himself from screaming. When the blade was buried to the hilt, Thomas felt the darkness coming back and he would have welcomed it gladly, but Sergio would have nne of it. He changed the angle of the blade and began dragging it to the left, closer to the center of Thomas' chest.

All Thomas could feel was burning pain and he didn't even realize he was screaming again, until it was cut off by the blood in his throat that made him choke. His vision was already black, but the pain was still there and all Thomas wanted was for this agony to end. But just as he began to pray for death, the pain lessened a bit and only now did he notice that the movement of the knife had stopped. He blinked a few times until his vision returned completely. Sergio wasn't at his side anymore, but Thomas couldn't care. His body hurt, the pain throbbing and pulsing. It took him a while to realize that there was a new voice speaking. “-you think you're doing?! Even if he knows nothing, he's still of use to us!”

“How?” That was Sergio.

“You told me you heard him talking to Robert on the phone before you knocked him out, right? So we have a way of contacting Robert and let him know we're having his friend.”

“So you want to use him as leverage? You think that's going to work?”

The other guy didn't answer, but there was the sound of footsteps approaching Thomas and a stranger came into view.

It was man in his mid-thirties probably with short brown hair and a concerned expression. “You look a bit better. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, after all your kind does have the strangest kind of powers. I was wondering how Robert could have survived after you took him from the hospital, that nurse was sure he'd die within one night. But looking at you now, I think I have found the answer. You're a healer.”

Thomas did indeed feel a bit better and the pain wasn't burning him as much as earlier. But he was so exhausted now that he had trouble keeping his eyes open. He figured his powers must have tried to heal him on their own, similar to what happened with Robert when he was dying on the couch.

His eyelids dropped despite Thomas' fight to stay awake. 

The man noticed it as well. “Sleep now. We'll talk when you're awake again.”

Thomas' body obeyed and he let himself fall back into darkness. This time he was welcoming it...

 

When he woke up again, it was on a mattress rather than a hard surface. He tried to ignore the feel of nausea and opened his eyes slowly. He was in a small room with nothing more than a sink, a toilet and the bed he was lying on which made it look a lot like a prison cell. Adding to the impression was the open side with bars opposite him. Only then did he notice he wasn't alone. There was an arm around his waist and the warmth of a body behind him. Very slowly he turned around and came face to face with Marco who was watching him warily.

“Feel better now?”

“What happened?” Thomas asked and gave a pointed look to Marco's arm on his waist.

“You were cold, probably because you haven't eaten in days and your body was using all of its energy for healing you. I thought it might help.”

He was right. The room was actually chilly and Marco was the only thing radiating warmth. Now that Thomas had disentangled their limbs, he couldn't help a shudder running down his spine.

He sat up quickly – too quickly – which made his spin, so he stayed in that position for a minute. Marco was getting up as well.

“Iker stopped by a few times already and left food for you.”

Thomas who had been rubbing his temples, froze at that name. “Wait,  _Iker_ ?”

“Yes, he was the guy wrenching Sergio off you.”

Marco got off the bed and walked over to the bars. He came back with a plate full of food and a bottle of water. “You need to eat and drink now, you need the strength.”

Thomas nodded and took a large gulp from the bottle before digging into his food. “Thank you.”

“Don't thank me, it's not like I'm doing this for you.”

Thomas raised his head to watch Marco. The blond was leaning against the wall and watching him impassively.

“Okay, then whom are you doing it for?”

“You heard Iker. He has left both of us alive because he thinks holding us captive will lure Robert here. And if it's true what you told me about his phone call, this might be my last chance at finding him. So I'm not going to waste it.”

Thomas frowned. How could Marco still be so repellent towards him after everything that happened?

“Marco, we both want the same thing.”

“No, we don't!” Marco spat out and there it was again, that furious glow in his eyes. “I want to keep Robert safe. You guys want to stop Iker. Obviously those two things don't go together.”

Thomas shook his head vehemently. “No, you misunderstand me, Marco. I want both of these things. Of course I want Robert to be safe and I also want to stop Iker so we all can finally live our lives without being hunted. But if I had to choose between, I'd choose Robert's safety.”

His was surprised by his own answer. He had never really thought about it that way, but his heart had always put Robert first. It's just that he had never really thought about the consequences for the rest of them.

Marco was silent for a long moment. “Why would you do that?”

“Why do you?” Thomas countered.

“I've known him for years, you've known him for a few days.”

“True. But that's been enough time for me to decide that he is worth saving.”

This time Marco didn't argue. But his expression changed from fury to bewilderment.

Thomas finished eating his food while Marco watched him pensively.

The strange atmosphere was eventually disrupted by Sergio's appearance.

“Good morning, Sunshine. Hope you had pleasant dreams.”

Despite his cheerful tone, he looked actually pissed. Not that it surprised Thomas; that guy had wanted to kill him after all. “No thanks to you.”

Sergio grinned before sliding a card through the lock on the door and opening the door to their cell. “Come on now, Iker wants to see both of you.”

Thomas stood up and passed Sergio with Marco right behind him. The corridor in front of them had many cells to their left and right, most of them empty. Some looked like theirs, others had some kind of large glass window instead of bars. It was obvious that all of these rooms were specially designed for gifted people.

A hard punch to his back made Thomas stumble forward.

“Stop dreaming and get a move on,” Sergio hissed impatiently.

At the end of the corridor Sergio opened another code-secured door and then they entered an elevator. When its doors opened five floors higher up, they finally entered a room with natural light. The sun was shining brightly outside and Thomas winced while his eyes tried to adjust.

The he noticed a small older woman with tanned skin eying the three of them curiously. “¡Buenos días, Mr. Ramos”

“Good morning, Cecilia,” Sergio said with the first honest smile Thomas had seen on his face. “Have you seen Iker?”

If Cecilia was thrown off by Sergio's switch to English, she didn't let it show. “Sí, Señor Casillas and his guest are sitting on the terrace outside.”

“Gracias, Cecilia.”

She nodded and turned away, just when Sergio pushed Thomas and Marco forward again. 

The terrace outside was huge and had a magnificent view on the large garden.

But Thomas had no time to appreciate it because there was a strange, almost pained sound coming from Marco which made him turn to his right.

Iker was sitting in one of the chairs, but it was the person opposite him that caught his – and obviously also Marco's – attention.

“Robert,” he whispered open-mouthed.

Only when Robert turned to him and their eyes met, did Thomas realize how relieved he actually was. His whole body was flooded by the feeling at seeing him alive and he didn't care how or why Robert was here. He was alive.

He moved forward and put his arms around the other man before he even knew what he was doing. “You're alive.” His eyes burnt and he buried his face in Robert's neck, taking a deep breath to calm himself but the smell of Robert – something heavy like sandalwood mixed with the underlying scent of the ocean – did the exact opposite. It made his fears all the more real.

“I thought I'd never see you again.”

Robert's arms linked behind his back and he pulled Thomas closer. “Me too. I'm sorry.”

Thomas would have liked to stay that way forever, but they had an audience. And when he felt Robert's body tensing, he knew the older man had spotted Marco. He pulled his head back just enough to turn it back towards the blond, but he didn't – couldn't – move away from Robert's body.

Marco's face looked younger somehow, vulnerable, yet his hands were curled into fists in anger. “You left.”

Strange how those two little words could carry so much meaning. Thomas didn't dare to interfere and judging by Sergio's and Iker's utter silence, they were feeling the same.

“I know,” Robert said softly. “I had no other choice.”

It had been the wrong thing to say.

Marco hurled forward before anyone could stop him and suddenly Robert was pushed out of Thomas' arms and up against the wall. “You promised you wouldn't leave!” Marco's voice was jarring.

Robert didn't seem very taken aback by the violent reaction and he didn't try to fight Marco off either. But now he looked sadder than ever. “I was trying to protect you from yourself, Marco.”

Marco's fingers gripped Robert's shirt tighter and he pushed at his chest. Robert barely winced as the action pushed his back harder against the unyielding wall.

“Stop saying that! It was my decision, the moment you killed Mario. It was up to me to send you away and I didn't. I wanted you to stay, you know that.”

A shudder went through Marco's body and Thomas could see the streaks of tears running down his cheeks while his grip loosened a bit. His head dropped forward until it hit Robert's chest and it was hard to say whether he was still pushing Robert against the wall or the latter was the one holding him up now.

One of Robert's arms wound itself around Marco to pull him into an embrace while he raised the other to beck of the blond's head. “We were toxic for each other. Whenever you looked at me, I could see the pain of losing Mario. You may tell yourself that you're not blaming me, but your eyes say something else.”

It spoke volumes that Marco didn't protest. Instead he let himself be held, seeking comfort.

Meanwhile Thomas tried to stomp down the sour taste the conversation had left in his mouth. He didn't know whom or what to believe anymore. Marco was adamant in his conviction that he needed Robert. Yet Robert seemed to be convinced that it was best if they stayed away from each other. The question was why.

A cough from behind interrupted his thoughts.

It was Iker who was watching the scene with mild interest. “You know, this moment is honestly touching. And I hate to be the villain here, but if I may remind you, Robert, we had a deal.”

Thomas and Marco froze simultaneously.

“What kind of deal?” Thomas asked, his voice hollow as he searched those blue eyes. Robert disentangled himself from Marco and walked over to Iker. “I haven't forgotten. Let me just say goodbye to them.”

Iker sighed, but walked over to Sergio and pulled the other man back into his house.

As soon as they were out of sight, Thomas repeated his question. “What kind of deal?”

“An exchange. The two of you get to go if I hand myself over to Iker.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Thomas snapped back, not caring that Robert jumped at his harsh tone. “Do you think you can just abandon one suicide mission for the next one?”

“We don't have time for this,” Robert said, but that answer only enraged Thomas more.

“Stop doing that!”

Robert was perplexed now. “Doing what?”

“Dismissing the value of your life like everything else is more important.”

“There are more lives at stake here, so certainly mine is dispensable,” Robert replied with conviction.

“Not to me,” Thomas countered which effectively rendered Robert mute. With a quick glance at Marco, he corrected, “Not to us.”

The emotion in Robert's eyes was raw as they darted between Thomas and Marco before settling on the former. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded broken. “I've tried so hard not to let you in, Thomas. But you make it impossible to keep you at bay. I'm asking you one last time not to get attached to me.”

“Too late,” Thomas answered calmly. “This is about what happened to Mario, right? You think whoever you let become close to you, ends up dead.”

Robert's silence was answer enough. 

“You need to stop letting the fear of your powers control you. You need to face them if you ever want to overcome them.”

“How can you have so much confidence that I will overcome them one day?”

“I know you. You're stronger than you think.”

“Strength isn't the answer to everything,” Robert argued.

“True. But love is.”

There, he had said it. He could feel Marco staring at him with an unreadable expression while Robert seemed to be rather disturbed.

“You don't love me, Thomas. You can't.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

“You can't tell me how to feel,” Thomas answered softly.

He watched Robert's face to miss no kind of reaction.

The older man looked pleadingly. “I will be the death of you, you know that.”

Manuel's visions were still very present in their minds, but Thomas ignored that.

“You don't _want_ to kill me.”

Something in Robert's expression changed drastically. “No, I don't. There are other things that I want when it comes to you. But they are just as dangerous.”

Thomas frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Emotions are the one thing that directs my powers, so I can’t afford to let them rule me. Not now, not ever.”

Thomas wanted to protest, but Robert had turned to Marco already.

“Do you remember what Mario used to say whenever you complained about having to hide from the world?”

A sad smile appeared on Marco’s face. “He said we’d be free one day. There would come a time when the world would accept us for who we are.”

Robert leaned forward until his forehead was touching Marco’s. “There’s still a long way to go, but stopping Iker would be a start. I can still finish it even with Iker holding me captive. But I can’t do it alone.”

Thomas watched both men with a strange feeling in his chest. It was an intimate moment between them, possibly their last, so he stayed quiet to give them some time.

With each breath Marco took, he seemed to calm down a bit. “I won’t let you die.”

“I know,” Robert answered calmly.

He waited a moment longer before pulling back and turning to Thomas again. “I didn’t come here alone.” He extended a piece of paper to Thomas. “That’s the meeting point for tonight. I told them the two of you would come and they should get you out of here.”

Thomas ignored the paper. “I’m not leaving here without you.”

He was taken aback when Robert’s hands came up to the sides of his face and they were suddenly so close that Robert was all he could see and feel.

“Think about it, Thomas. If you go now, you can try to find a way to get me out of here.”

Thomas laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, so you can continue with that plan of yours and get yourself killed anyway?”

Robert was silent for a long time, obviously thinking and contemplating. When he eventually answered, his voice was so quiet that Thomas knew his words were only meant for him. “I told you that I didn’t see any reason for me to live after what I did. I still don’t. But you make me want to try.”

Thomas searched his eyes for the tiniest bit of a lie, but couldn’t find anything. He took the paper hesitantly.

“So you _do_ want to be saved?”

Was it just his imagination or had Robert leaned closer? It was hard to tell when his brain was still trying to cope with Robert’s scent surrounding him.

“ _You_ don’t want me to die. That’s enough.”

Thomas wasn’t satisfied by that answer, but it was the closest Robert had come to agreeing with him on that topic. It would have to do for now. He nodded. “I’ll come back for you, I promise.”

“I know you will,” Robert replied and tilted his head to the side. Thomas shuddered when he felt Robert’s nose ghosting along his jawline.

Then a cough from the side interrupted them. It was Iker who had apparently returned while they had been too absorbed by each other.

“Sorry for ruining this moment but time is up.”

When Robert let go of him and walked over to Iker, Thomas failed to squish down the hollow feeling in his chest.

Robert eyed Iker warily. “I want to see them leave before I let you guys take me.”

“You doubt that I will stick to the deal?” Iker asked and actually sounded offended. “You know, I may hate you monsters, but I’m a man of my word. I said I would give them three days before my agents will restart the hunt on them and I still intend to fulfill that.”

Despite his words he motioned at them to follow him as he walked down the stairs and through his garden. While they were walking, Thomas was very aware of Sergio at his heels as well as Marco staring at him.

At the entrance to Iker’s property, they stopped.

“Your 72 hours are starting now. I look forward to meeting the two of you again,” Iker said with a cold smile.

Before Thomas or Marco could reply, Sergio gripped Robert’s arm forcefully and hauled him closer. With a quick and practiced move, he thrust the needle of an injection into Robert’s neck.

Robert jerked, but didn’t fight while the liquid was entering his system. Within a few seconds, the tension left his body and his eyelids began to droop.

“What the hell did you just do to him?” Thomas asked enraged.

It was Marco who answered him. “Iker’s agents tend to use a special narcotic for targets with really dangerous powers. Most agents try to avoid using it, it’s basically poison.”

Iker huffed. “It’s the only reliable way of putting them down. Most narcotics don’t work on them properly; their powers are burning it up within one hour or less.” Thomas felt a lump forming in his throat as he watched Robert’s body collapsing into Sergio’s arms. “You could have waited until he’s lying on a bed.”

Sergio grinned. “I’m not that stupid. I know what he can do with my mind and once the two of you have walked out through this gate, there’s no reason for him to behave. Besides you should consider it as a warning. You’re next.”

Iker sighed. “That’s enough, Sergio. Bring Robert into his cell.”

Sergio pulled Robert’s body up with surprising ease which made Thomas wonder how many times he had done something like this already. How many people were imprisoned in that house or already dead? He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know.

He turned to Iker. “We’re not the monsters here,  _you_ are.”

Contrary to his expectations Iker didn’t seem to be offended but regretful. “I know it seems like that to you. And I feel sorry for you, honestly I do, but it doesn’t change anything. You’re a danger to humanity, you need to be either locked up or eliminated.”

“You’re making things very easy for yourself,” Thomas argued. “You can’t tar all with the same brush. Most of us are trying hard not to hurt others.”

For the first time since this conversation had started, he could see anger in Iker’s eyes.

“That’s not enough. It’s never gonna be enough.”

This time Marco was the one to answer. “This is about your parents, right? Do you think you’re the only one who has lost loved ones? If your organization hadn’t forced us to go into hiding with Cristiano, Mario would still be alive now.”

His voice was laced with pain that obviously didn’t escape Iker’s attention.

“I remember you telling me about that accident the day I hired you. You told me he was killed by someone with powers.”

“I wasn’t lying about that,” Marco reinforced. “But if we had been free to get to know our powers, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

“Yes, I got that during your earlier conversation with Robert. That was very interesting to say the least. I would have never thought that my prime target was the one responsible for Mario’s murder.”

“It was an accident, not murder,” Marco corrected him.

“You can tell yourself that as long as you want. But how do you know if that’s the truth? Robert could have done it on purpose.”

Marco’s eyes were blazing with anger now and Thomas felt exactly the same.

“Robert is my friend.”

“A friend who abandoned you when you needed him the most.”

Marco didn’t reply for a long moment. Thomas watched him carefully, wanting to defend Robert but knowing that it was Marco who needed to do that. 

When Marco finally spoke, his voice sounded insecure. “He said he did it to protect me. I trust him on this.”

Iker smirked. “Do you?”

Thomas could see the doubt in Marco’s eyes and knew he needed to intervene now. “Stop playing games with us, Iker.”

He grabbed Marco by the arm and dragged him towards the property’s gate without another glance back.

“See you soon, boys!” Iker called after them just when Marco belatedly realized what Thomas was doing.

“No, wait, we can’t leave without Robert! They’re going to kill him.” His voice was shrill and obviously panicked.

Everything in Thomas’ body screamed at him to turn back and fight his way through to Robert, but he knew he couldn’t. 

“No, they won’t, at least not immediately. Iker wants each and every one of our kind to suffer like he did after losing his parents. He is bitter and wants revenge, he will take his time killing Robert. Which gives us enough time of our own to get him out of there.”

Marco stopped his protests and let Thomas guide him to the side of a street.

Thomas pulled out the crumbled piece of paper, Robert had given him.

“We’re going to the meeting point, just like Robert has told us. I bet whoever we’re going to find there, will know what to do. Robert knew it would come to this and I bet he has made some kind of preparations. And he’s counting on us to stick to the plan.”

Marco glanced from the paper up to Thomas. “I know if I want to save him, I need to trust you. But just to be clear, I’m prepared to get him out of there no matter what the cost.”

Marco had meant it as a warning, but ironically it felt like he and Thomas were finally getting somewhere.

“I’m counting on it. After all I feel just the same.”

Marco grinned and it was the first honest one Thomas had seen on him.

“Well, then let’s meet up with his mystery friend.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I haven't been home the last two days. I don't know if I'll be able to update next week because there's so much going on right now, but I'll try.  
> For those of you following "Dance With the Devil": No need to worry, I've just finished the next chapter which will be up at the start of next week.

The meeting point ended up being one of the most beautiful places Thomas had ever seen. Well, he might be exaggerating a bit, but after spending so much time locked up in Philipp’s house, wandering through the darkest streets of Munich and eventually ending up in a cell in another fucking country, Thomas figured no one could blame him for being a little overdramatic. 

The address was a large modern house located on a hill at the outer skirts of the city. The view on the illuminated city was absolutely magnificent and definitely made up for the harsh wind that was blowing up there.

“That’s the address,” he said superfluously.

He shared a quick curious look with Marco before they both walked up the front porch. They rang the doorbell, unsure what or whom to expect. 

The rather small man opening the door definitely wasn’t who Thomas might have expected. He had a boyish face with soft-looking, short brown hair and eyes of the same color. He didn’t look familiar to Thomas, but Marco took a step back like he had been hit in the face.

“Leo?”

The guy smiled softly. “Yeah, it’s me. Great to finally see you again, Marco.”

Thomas looked between the two men curiously. “You know each other?”

Marco nodded. “That’s Lionel Messi, our second mentor back in the day.”

Thomas examined the man in front of him incredulously. This guy had been Cristiano’s partner?! It was a little hard to believe; physically the two men looked the exact opposite.

Lionel stepped aside to let them in. “We should talk inside.”

He led them through the hallway and around the corner into what was presumably the living room. 

Thomas stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the three familiar men sitting around the table. “What are you guys doing here?”

Manuel, Bastian and Philipp got up with relieved smiles spreading on their faces. Manuel was the first one to pull him into a hug. “Thank God, you’re alright.”

The blond didn’t let go, so Bastian and Philipp just stood there awkwardly. The latter was the one who answered Thomas’ question. 

“Robert came to us yesterday after receiving a call from Iker. He said he had a plan to get you and Marco out of there, but he needed our help. So a few hours later we were sitting in a plane heading towards Spain.”

Marco, who had watched them silently since entering the room, turned to Philipp with a frown. “So you knew what he was going to do? That he was going to buy our freedom with his own?”

Philipp dropped his eyes to the ground. “Yes, he told us as soon as we were here.”

Marco stared down at the smaller man furiously, probably waiting for some kind of explanation. 

Thomas disentangled himself from Manuel and looked up at his best friend. “And you didn’t stop him?”

“We had no other option. It was the only way to get you guys out safely. Besides, Leo figured out a way to get him back.”

“How?” Thomas and Marco asked in unison.

Lionel walked over to them, radiating nervousness. “In the last few years I have been trying to gather as much information about Iker as possible. Thereby I also acquired a detailed map of his house if you want to put it like that.”

“What do you mean with _a map_?” Thomas asked.

“A few months ago one of his housemaids helped me getting one of his longtime prisoners out of there. That’s why I had to go into hiding once again. He’s living here with me for now, that’s why I had to lay low.”

“Because you fear Iker might discover him here?”

For some reason the question seemed to amuse Lionel. “Well, he’s rather conspicuous looking, that’s why the housemaid wanted me to free him.”

Thomas was rather confused now while Marco asked what he was thinking as well. “She turned against Iker just because she had a crush on one of his prisoners?”

Lionel shook his head. “It’s not like that. But she’s very religious and was initially convinced Iker was doing the right thing by locking away all those demons. When she saw this particular guy though, she was convinced Iker was making a big mistake, at least in this case. Trust me, you will understand once you have seen that man with your own eyes.”

Thomas doubted that, but let it go. It wasn’t important right now. “Okay, so where is your living map?”

Lionel seemed to have dreaded this question. “He’s not going to come with us.”

This time five heads turned to him.

“Why not?” Thomas asked.

“He has been through enough,” Lionel stated with finality in his voice. “He’s been locked up in there for three years and seen more than enough pain for a lifetime. That’s why I won’t force him to go back there as long as he doesn’t feel ready to. After rescuing him, I have acquired a rough outline of the house myself and he has filled in the rest since then.”

Nobody was entirely satisfied, but it would have to do. Like Lionel had said, it was understandable that this guy never wanted to come near Iker’s house again.

“Okay, so what’s the plan?” Thomas asked.

“Philipp is the only one of us who’s not on Iker’s radar yet, so he has to be one who has to infiltrate himself.”

Thomas’ eyes widened when he realized the implications of Lionel’s plan. “You want him to apply as an agent? Do you think Iker is stupid? One day after he has let a target go, a man from the same city and the same workplace shows up at his doorstep. You couldn’t get any more obvious, could you?”

Lionel didn’t seem offended. “That’s why I would have suggested that Philipp shows up with actual information regarding your location as a welcoming present.”

Now Lionel’s plan was finally starting to make sense. But Thomas couldn’t overlook the many risks and faults. “No, we’re not going to let Philipp come into the firing line.”

Naturally it was Philipp who answered him. “Thomas, this is my choice and if it means we can get Robert out of there, I’ll gladly do it. Besides, I’m the one with the least dangerous job. All I have to do is finding a way to let you in, afterwards I’ll be gone and it’ll be up to you to find and save him.”

Thomas didn’t say anything, but he was sure his reluctance must be showing on his face. Philipp chuckled softly. “You need to allow others to help you. And that’s always going to be accompanied by some degree of risks. “

Thomas sighed in defeat because of course Philipp was right. “I just don’t want you to put yourselves at risk to fix my mess.”

Manuel joined Philipp’s side with a confident smile on his voice. “Hey, give Robert some credit, he’s our friend too. We want to help him just as much as you do.”

That statement effectively cut off any kind of protest from Thomas. He gave both of them a grateful nod before turning to Bastian. “What about you? There’s still enough time to leave.”

Bastian smirked. “Oh, come on! How do you want to search for Robert when you’re visible to every guard and every surveillance camera there? You need me and it’s not like I’ve got more important things to do.”

Thomas turned to Marco who had been silent for quite some time now.

Marco met his gaze challengingly. “If you’re going to ask me to leave, I will punch you in the face, trust me.”

Thomas laughed. “I wasn’t going to. I think we’ve already come to the conclusion that we can count on each other when it comes to Robert.”

They grinned at each other while Manuel watched them curiously. “Okay, what did we miss? How did the two of you become besties all of a sudden?”

Thomas shrugged. “We just had a heart-to-heart and realized that we essentially want the same thing. So there’s no reason for us to bicker around like children.”

This time even Marco had to stifle an amused laugh. He looked at Lionel expectantly. “So what’s our part in the plan, Leo?”

“We obviously need to distract the agents in Iker’s house until we have found Robert. So we need to split into two groups, one that’s going to set up the distraction and one that’s going to rescue Robert.”

Thomas was quick to interrupt him. “I’ll be in the one that’s going to save Robert, just to be clear.”

“Me too,” Marco added.

Manuel grinned. “I don’t think anyone here is surprised. We thought Philipp could go with you since the Distraction group will be the one to probably draw the attention of all agents to it. Your group is much safer for a human.”

Thomas nodded. “Yeah, sure.” He turned to Philipp. “But if there’s a chance to get you of there before that whole operation starts, you’ll take it.”

“Of course. But you promise not to make any premature decisions that will endanger your life, you got me?”

Thomas shrugged. “Of course, I don’t have a death wish after all.”

Philipp didn’t look convinced, but let it go.

Their attention turned back to Lionel who had watched them patiently waiting. “Okay, so that leaves Manuel, Bastian and me for the Distraction group. Sounds good to me. I know someone who can arrange a meeting between Philipp and Iker without raising suspicions. I’ll call him right away.”

He pulled out his phone and left the room quickly.

Thomas stood there, staring after him for a long moment. All of a sudden he was tired. He wanted to sleep and wake up from this nightmare. He wanted to go back to that morning when he woke up to eggs and Robert dressed in Thomas’ clothes standing in the kitchen. Back then he had thought the moment was very strange, now it would be a welcome piece of normalcy. Funny how things had changed in the matter of a few days.

A cough from behind interrupted his trail of thoughts. He turned back to find Marco still standing there awkwardly. “I guess I should say Thank you.”

“For what?” Thomas asked.

“For helping me save Robert. I’m used to do things on my own and for a long time I’ve been the only person who cared more about _him_ than his powers. That’s why I didn’t want to trust you. I thought you wanted the same that everybody wants from him. Now I know that I was wrong.”

Thomas felt a smile slowly spreading on his face. “It’s okay. You wanted to protect your friend, I understand that. I would have a hard time trusting you with Manuel’s or Philipp’s safety as well.”

Marco accepted that with a nod just when Lionel reappeared in the doorway. “The appointment stands. I’m sure there will be agents watching Philipp very carefully from the moment he arrives at Iker’s house and it could also be possible that some will follow him back, so he’ll be staying in an ordinary hotel to keep up appearances.”

Thomas got up immediately. “Thanks. Where is he now?”

“Upstairs in the guest room he has been staying in. I guess he is packing his stuff.”

Thomas took up the stairs immediately. The second floor of Lionel’s house was built like a gallery. The long side right after the stairs had three doors, all of which were guestrooms currently occupied by Manuel, Philipp and Bastian. The door of the left one was slightly ajar and Thomas knocked hesitantly before entering.

Philipp looked up from behind his bed onto which he had put his empty suitcase.

“Hey Thomas,” Philipp greeted him before going back to his packing.

The younger man crossed the room slowly and eventually sat down on the edge of the bed. He watched Philipp folding his clothes and arranging them in the rather small suitcase silently.

“Thank you for doing this.”

Philipp looked at him with a small smile. “No need to thank me. We all want to save Robert.”

“You’ve just met him,” Thomas tossed in even though he didn’t know why he felt the need to argue. Perhaps he just wanted to understand why all his friends were willing to risk their lives for a man they barely knew.

“Yes, I’ve just met him, but so have you. And you’ve already decided that he is worth saving. That’s a good enough reason for us.”

He went back to packing while Thomas tried to search for words. “I don’t deserve you guys.”

“No, you don’t,” Philipp agreed with a smirk. Then he became serious again. “But please watch out for yourself, Thomas.”

“Don’t you worry about me. We’re in the Rescue group, remember? Basti and Manu are the ones you should worry about.”

Philipp frowned. “I know and I’m worried about them as well, believe me. But if things go haywire, I can count on them trying to save themselves first. I’m not so sure about you. And Marco.”

Thomas dropped his gaze. He couldn’t really argue with that because he indeed wasn’t sure if he was able to abandon their mission to save himself. He sidestepped the unspoken question. “I would abandon the mission if your lives were at stake.” 

Actually that was the truth. But Philipp had obviously noticed what he hadn’t said. “That’s comforting to know, but you deliberately missed my point.”

Thomas sighed. “I know. But I can’t promise you that I would leave Robert behind just to save myself. I just can’t.”

Philipp looked neither surprised nor angry but troubled. “Yes and that’s what scares me.”

They fell silent after that, at least until there was another knock on the door and Manuel poked his head in. “Leo thought it will be best if Marco takes Philipp’s room, now that it is available while you stay with me. What do you think?”

Thomas shrugged. “Fine by me. But Leo’s couch looks comfortable as well.”

Manuel frowned. “And?”

Thomas had a hard time keeping a serious face now. “Well, I could sleep down there. Just in case you’re worried about sleeping in the same bed as me and losing your virginity.”

When Philipp burst out laughing at that, Thomas’s felt his poker face slip as well. Manuel took the jab gracefully though. “Thank you for the consideration, but neither have I any reason to be afraid of you nor am I a virgin.”

“Really?” Thomas asked in a teasing manner. “I was wondering because I’ve known you for ten years and not once have I seen you with a woman.”

Once again Manuel didn’t rise to the bait. Seriously, making that man lose his cool was harder than finding a four-leaved clover.

“I don’t have any time for a woman when I’m constantly busy saving your ass.”

Thomas raised his brow suggestively. “Well, that was a rather ambiguous remark. If you wanted my ass, you could have just asked.”

Philipp’s laugh notched up a note while he sat down on the bed as well to try composing himself. 

Manuel only rolled his eyes. “Seriously, I’m not envying your future boyfriends. Having to deal with you on a daily basis is excruciating enough, but 24/7? I’d probably kill myself after one week.”

Thomas’ smug grin was instantly replaced by a pout while Philipp’s whole body was shaking now and there were tears in his eyes. “Please stop it, I’m gonna die from laughing too much.”

They both obeyed and left Philipp to his packing. The room at the back end turned out to be Manuel’s. Thomas had assumed all three guest rooms looked identical but he had been wrong. While Philipp’s room had been square with dark furniture lined up at the walls, Manuel’s room was almost winding with a few visible beams and bright oaken furniture. The king size bed was placed right in the middle of the room, making it look even more pompous than it actually was.

“Wow,” Thomas exclaimed while he let his eyes roam through the room. “This looks so different from the rest of the house.”

“Yeah and I think I know why,” Manuel replied and motioned for Thomas to follow him. 

They approached the chest of drawers and when Manuel opened the top one, Thomas understood what he meant. The only things lying in there were a dozen photo albums.

There were two or three albums per year, each labelled with dates. The cover photo always showed the same two men though from different time spans.

Both of them looked almost exactly the same as now, but it was still hard to believe that they were the same men as in those photographs and not a fading copy. Because on each cover Lionel and Cristiano were looking back at him with wide joyful smiles that lit up their eyes in a way Thomas had never seen before.

Now the very different design of this room was starting to make sense.

Thomas touched the cover of the most recent album absentmindedly. “This was intended to be Cristiano’s room.”

Manuel nodded. “What I don’t understand is why. Cristiano hasn’t been able to find Leo since he left two years ago, so Leo must have moved in here or built this house afterwards. Why would he design a room for Cristiano if he was the one to leave?”

Thomas didn’t have an answer to that either. He was tempted to look through the many photos, but it wasn’t his business and he already felt guilty enough for finding the albums. It turned out he didn’t have when a voice joined them from the door.

“I was hoping Cris would take me back once we have defeated Iker and ended this nightmare.” Thomas and Manuel turned to find Lionel striding in with a blank face. “I don’t want to leave him, but I knew I had to. We had never agreed on our views concerning Iker, but we had worked around it for the meantime. Cris and I disagreed on many things especially when it came to the treatment of our powers. That didn’t mean that we thought the other was entirely wrong.” Lionel took an album that was dates three years back and skimmed through the pages until he reached a photo of Robert, Marco and a third smaller man who was presumably Mario. 

The three of them were laughing despite the fact that Robert’s feet were covered in white ice crystals. It seemed like Mario had experimented with his powers with Robert acting as lab rat and Marco standing by to watch and intervene if necessary. “That’s why we gave the three of them a choice. They could choose their path, but wouldn’t have to separate. They had to leave their homes and everyone they knew behind, so we thought it was best if they stayed together no matter whom they decided to follow.” Leo’s hand stilled over Robert’s face. “Especially for Robert. His gift is even more deeply connected to his emotions than ours, so we wanted to give him a sense of stability, some people who would always be at his side no matter what. Then Mario died and all went to hell.”

He shut the album slowly and placed it back in the drawer before closing it. When he turned back to Thomas and Manuel, he looked older somehow. As though the memories of the past were too much for his body to handle.

“You two should go to sleep now. We will have a long day tomorrow.”

Thomas frowned. “I thought we agreed it was best if Philipp goes alone?”

He didn’t know whether Lionel’s smile was genuine or meant to frighten him. “Of course, but did you think we could go barging into Iker’s house with guns blazing and that’s it?”

Thomas shared a confused look with Manuel. Lionel was already at the door before he added, “Good night, boys. Tomorrow we’ve got practice to do.”

And he walked out of the room without waiting for their reaction.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finally finished "Dance With the Devil", so I plan on doing weekly updates on this story again. ;)
> 
> The wonderful Stewolf made really amazing fanart for my fic, please go and check it out! :)  
> http://stewolf.tumblr.com/post/148247888643/series-of-drawings-i-did-for-janie94-fanfic-let

 

The next day Philipp left by sunrise and Lionel lead them all out of the house and up the hill behind his garden immediately after.

“Until Philipp contacts us, we all need to work on our abilities. You know _what_ you can do, but have no clue _how_ to do it. We need to change that when we break into Iker’s house. We will need every advantage we can get.”

He turned towards the small group with a challenging look. “So who of you thinks he’s got the best grip on his power?”

For a moment it was silent, then Marco stepped forward hesitantly. “I guess that would be me. After all I’ve been with Cristiano for years now.”

Lionel looked like he had suspected as much. “Very well, then let’s see how good you are. Step forward, please. And you too, Basti.”

Bastian looked up at him with wide eyes. “Me? Why me?”

“Because your ability is perfect for showing the others what I want to achieve,” Lionel replied patiently.

With a nervous glance at Marco Bastian positioned himself opposite him, right next to Lionel.

“It’s very simple actually. Basti, I want you to make yourself invisible and stay like that as long as you can. Marco, your task is to negate his ability of course. Please go easy on him though.”

Marco nodded and narrowed his eyes just in the moment Bastian vanished in front of everyone’s eyes.

Thomas was sure he would never get used to the sight, no matter how many times he saw it happen.

Lionel gave Marco a nod and barely a second later Bastian reappeared on the same spot from before. He looked a bit surprised. “Damn, you’re good. You make it look so easy.”

Marco smirked. “It is when you have been practicing for years.”

Lionel clicked his tongue to get their attention back. “Once you’ve got a basic understanding of your power, it’s mostly about concentration. So the only way to get around Marco’s ability is to disturb his concentration.”

Bastian looked doubtful. “And how do I achieve that?”

Lionel grinned. “You move. Marco needs to focus on the person whose power he wants to negate and it will be a lot harder for him if you move fast. Since he can’t see you, it’s harder for him as well. I bet Marco has yet to learn to trust his other senses enough to stop you. Come on, let’s try it.”

Bastian nodded and made himself invisible once again. Lionel waited for approximately ten seconds before looking at Marco expectantly.

Marco narrowed his eyes again and Thomas wondered what he was trying to do as long as he didn’t have an idea where exactly Bastian was. For a few moments nothing happened save for Marco constantly turning as though he was scanning the area. Then, just as Thomas thought, Marco wouldn’t be able to do it, Marco turned again and this time, Thomas could see a translucent silhouette flickering at the spot Marco was looking at. The silhouette was moving again and disappeared, but now that Marco had located Bastian, it was over. Only seconds later Bastian appeared to Marco’s left, breathing hard.

“Gotcha,” Marco said with a wide grin.

It was silent for a moment, then a proud smile was spreading on Lionel’s face. “I have to admit you’ve become a lot stronger since the last time I saw you.”

Marco shrugs and his grin turns bitter. “Well, you were gone for a very long time.”

Lionel watched him thoughtfully. “I know you’re still upset. But I had no other choice, I had to leave. I can’t let Cristiano kill Iker. I can’t let him become the same monster that he’s trying so hard to fight.”

“Why not? If you hadn’t left, Cristiano might have succeeded in killing Iker already and Robert wouldn’t be suffering in that house right now.”

Lionel’s eyes hardened. “I doubt that the physical pain Robert has to endure right now is worse than the mental pain he has been dealing with for the last two years. And you of all people here have the least right to call me out for being responsible for those scars on his soul.”

Thomas frowned at the cryptic statement. A small part of him understood why Marco just couldn’t forgive Robert even though it was uncalled for.

Marco swallowed before dropping his gaze.

Lionel let the matter drop and turned to Bastian. “You’re doing surprisingly good. You have a basic control of your power already, but you’re too slow. You already have problems dealing with stress situations even though you only need to protect yourself. Your power needs to get more flexible if you want to protect others as well. You two should continue like that while I deal with Thomas and Manuel.”

Thomas tensed at the mention of his name. He had no idea how Lionel was planning to train his ability since it was so different from the others. Not to mention that he was the only one of them who had no control of his power due to his resolution of living a normal life.

Lionel smiled reassuringly. “I guess we should start with Manuel.”

Lionel walked away to give Marco and Bastian enough space for their training and Manuel and Thomas followed him warily.

“You said those visions come to you randomly?”

“Yes, I can’t control them or force them to appear,” Manuel admitted begrudgingly.

Once again that bit of information didn’t seem to surprise Lionel. “Of course not. But you may be able to direct them.” 

Manuel frowned. “I don’t understand. It’s not like I can choose what I see in those visions.”

“True,” Lionel agreed. “But even though you’re powerless when it comes to the content of your vision, I bet you have a say in what images appear.” 

Manuel and Thomas looked at each other questioningly and Lionel elaborated. “If my theory turns out be right, you get the whole vision thrown at you and your senses are so overloaded that you only see the bits and pieces that hit you right in the face, so to speak. That’s why you sometimes have different visions of the same event. Because the angle has changed. But if you reach out and embrace it, it’s possible that you can choose which images you want to grab.” Lionel’s smile faltered. “Unfortunately we don’t have the opportunity to test that on an actual vision yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t train your conscious to focus during the onslaught of other sensations.”

Apparently that did nothing to soothe Manuel’s worries. “Why do I have the feeling that I won’t like what’s coming next?”

The mischievous grin on Lionel’s face definitely meant trouble. “I think it’s time to show you my special gift now.”

For a moment nothing happened while Thomas and Manuel waited with bated breaths. Then Lionel’s body seemed to become a blur when he moved forward and punched Manuel before the latter could even lift a finger.

“What the hell?” Manuel exclaimed while rubbing his upper arm where Lionel had hit him. “How did you do that?”

“I can slow down time,” Lionel responded, sounding like a proud little boy.

Thomas stared at him in astonishment. “Wow, that’s amazing.”

Lionel shrugged sheepishly. “It sounds better than it actually is.”

“How far can you go?” Thomas asked curiously.

“All the way. I’ve reached the point where I can _stop_ time.”

Thomas felt entirely awestruck at merely imagining that. “Wow.”

Lionel seemed to be almost uncomfortable at their admiration. “Anyway, my ability enables me to be a lot faster than an ordinary human. That should put you under enough pressure, Manuel.”

Manuel grinned nervously while Lionel turned to Thomas. “So that leaves you.”

“You can’t really train my ability. I would constantly need injured people to test it out.”

Lionel looked like that was the answer he had anticipated. “I know someone who is injured so badly that it will take a lot of effort from your part to heal him.” Then he raised his voice. “It’s alright, you can show yourself now.”

Thomas frowned in confusion, but froze when he saw the man coming around the corner. 

Everything about him was beautiful; his slender body, the kind expression on his face, warm dark brown eyes flickering between Thomas and Manuel, his short hair only one shade brighter. But what immediately drew Thomas’ attention were the large snow white wings spreading from his back. It was a magnificent sight – as well as heartbreaking. Both wings were crippled and broken to the point that it was hard to believe they could ever function again.

Lionel walked over to the man and put his arm across his shoulder. “May I introduce our living map and your new training partner, Miroslav Klose.”

Miroslav smiled nervously, but he didn’t meet their eyes. Thomas felt a wave of sympathy overcoming him at the sight of the man. 

This was the guy who had been imprisoned by Iker for years. He couldn’t imagine what it must have been like…

Lionel looked expectantly at Thomas. “Miro volunteered for the part, but he said he doesn’t believe you will be able to perform miracles. I want you to prove him wrong.”

The rational part of Thomas’ brain knew that it was nearly impossible; he had wasted too many years trying to fit in and wouldn’t be able to catch up in a few weeks only. But when he took in that shell of a broken man, failure wasn’t an option anymore.

To his surprise he received encouragement from the usually very realistic thinking Manuel. “He will.”

Thomas turned to his friend and wasn’t prepared for the intense gaze. Manuel’s eyes were meeting his, his voice all but a command. “You have to.”

Thomas nodded silently.

Lionel gave Miroslav an encouraging pat on the back and the older man walked over to Thomas hesitantly.

Side by side they walked away from the others, initially with the intention to have more privacy, but in the end because Thomas noticed that walking seemed to relax the other man a bit. At least that way he wasn’t constantly on edge.

It was Miroslav who eventually started to speak. “I should probably apologize for refusing to help you.”

Thomas frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Leo told me why you’re going back to Iker. And I hope you will get your friend out of there alive, I really do. But I can’t go back into that hell myself. With the current state of my wings I wouldn’t be of much use anyway.”

Thomas held up his hand to stop him. “That’s enough. Now listen to me carefully.” He placed himself in front of Miroslav until the latter was finally looking up to him. “You are already helping us. Without you we would have no idea where to start searching for Robert and how complex the structure of Iker’s house is. No one here is holding it against you that you never want to set a foot into that building again.”

Eventually Miroslav nodded. “Thanks. But you’re giving me too much credit, I was lucky. Sergio went easy on me because having wings isn’t a very dangerous ability.”

Thomas didn’t know what to make of that and Miroslav must have seen that in his face.

“He didn’t do more than break my wings over and over again. Of course that hurt, but it always passed by eventually. The way he tortured most of the others left wounds that will never go away.”

Thomas’ insides froze despite not knowing any details yet.

When Miroslav continued, it sounded hollow. “After making sure their powers were blocked by all of the drugs in their system, he began to ask question. They were about random things at first. How they had discovered their powers, how young they were back then. After a while Sergio asked about other people with powers and when he didn’t get a useful answer, he picked one of the prisoners and began to torture him.”

“My God…” Thomas whispered horrified.

“The outcome depended on Sergio’s mood. Sometimes he would let it go for a few days, but most times he would go on until he either got the location of a gifted one or killed his victim.” He raised his head and for the first time he was the one to initiate the eye contact with Thomas. “That’s why I hope you get your friend out of there as soon as possible. I have only been tortured physically, but I’ve seen what it did to the others. Can you imagine what it must feel like being responsible for an innocent’s death and having to live with it?”

Thomas didn’t respond. Robert already knew what that felt like and Thomas wouldn’t let a second murder be added on top of it. Not as long as he could prevent it. “We will get him out of there before that happens.”

A small smile crossed Miroslav’s features. “I’m sure you will, after all you have an advantage.”  
Thomas raised an eyebrow questioningly. 

“The power of unity. Iker is only one man who directs his followers like he wishes without interfering himself. You guys are a team now and you have a collective way of thinking. As long as you trust in each other, you will be strong.”

“You’re very optimistic about this,” Thomas commented.

“Of course I am. Iker’s motive is hatred, yours is loyalty.”

Thomas grinned. “You make it sound so easy.”

“Like I said as long as you believe in each other, nothing will be able to stop you.”

His encouraging words managed to put Thomas in a more positive mood while they began their first training together.

“You tell me if I hurt you,” Thomas said nervously.

“I just told you that I’ve had my wings broken every few days. I highly doubt you could top that level of pain.”

Thomas took that as his clue to begin. “Okay, lie down on your stomach please.”

Miroslav obeyed and Thomas touched his wings for the first time. His touch caused the other man to jerk and the wings flared upwards as though they wanted to hit Thomas before stopping abruptly.

“Sorry,” Miroslav said ruefully. “I’m not used to people touching them without ulterior motives.”

Thomas moved to do it again but noticed they weren’t alone anymore. Lionel and Manuel were standing at the sideline; Lionel’s expression curious while Manuel’s was guarded.

Miroslav eyed them warily. “Is something the matter?”

Very slowly Manuel began walking towards him. “I’m not sure, I just have that feeling…”

“What kind of feeling?” Miroslav asked while standing up again.

Manuel stopped right in front of the smaller man and when Thomas could see the otherworldly sparkle in his eyes, he knew the answer.

“A vision is coming. But this time it doesn’t overrun me like it used to do. It’s only tapping at the edge of my conscious as though it wants to give me a choice.”

That was strange indeed. Manuel’s vision had always come out of nowhere before.

It was Lionel who added, “I suppose that only those visions which are crucially important right now, force their way to the front. Those showing minor things can only be accessed by a lot of focusing or certain keys. Apparently Manuel thinks that Miro is the key to unveiling his new vision.”

That was an interesting thought.

Thomas and Lionel watched in suspense as Manuel lifted one of his hands but stopped in midair.

“May I?” the blond asked softly.

Miroslav nodded and Manuel reached out until his fingers touched the tip of one wing. This time it wasn’t Miroslav whose body jerked at the contact.

He caught Manuel’s collapsing body in his arms while staring at the two other men in panic. “What’s happening to him? What did I do?”

Thomas gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, he always gets like that when he’s having a vision.”

That wasn’t entirely true though. Usually Manuel’s body showed additional signs of distress like shaking, breaking out into cold sweat…

This time it was different. His clouded eyes were wide open, his muscles relaxed and a small smile appearing on his lips. It made him look a lot younger than he actually was.

Then he blinked and the moment was gone. Usually it took Manuel a few seconds to compose himself, but now his eyes instantly focused on the persons still holding him.

“I saw you,” he said and his tone was awestruck.

Miroslav frowned. “I  _saw_ you. With your wings spread wide and flying off into the distance.”

Miroslav froze. “You saw me flying?”

But Manuel wasn’t listening. “You looked so happy. You were already smiling at me before you took off.”

That got Thomas’ attention as well. “Wait, you were there in the vision? But you never had visions of yourself before, only when one of your friends was in danger.”

It wasn’t Manuel who had a response to that but Lionel. “Perhaps the vision wants to tell him that he should think about himself for once. That his time to only think of others is finally over.”

“But if this vision was about him, why was I a part of it?” Miroslav asked.

Manuel turned to him and even Thomas could see the intensity in his eyes. “You just said it. Apparently you  _are_ a part of it.”

They stared at each for a very long moment.

Eventually Thomas was the one asking the obvious question. “But what exactly does that mean?”

Miroslav was still looking at Manuel thoughtfully. “So that means we are going to be…friends?”

The look in Manuel’s eyes made Thomas – and probably Lionel as well - feel like an intruder of this moment.

“It means you are here to stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this rather short chapter, I promise the next one will be a lot longer and we will finally see Lewy again! :)  
> And I feel the need to add that I love Iker (even though I made him an antagonist in this story), same goes for every character I ncluded. The only one I don't know that well is Sergio, but he was the first man that came to my mind as Iker's right hand...


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a bit early with the next chapter, but I hope you guys can forgive me. ;)  
> Anway this is the longest chapter of the entire story, but I didn't want to make a cut in the middle of the rescue mission and it's been way too long since we saw Lewy, so here we go with an extra-large chapter...

 

The next two weeks went by so fast they felt like a blur. 

Thomas was still far away from healing Miroslav completely, but he was slowly making progress. Despite not feeling ready at all for their rescue operation, Thomas was burning to do it.

Each day he and the others were training meant one more day of torture for Robert. But they needed to wait for a sign from Philipp before they could put their plan to action.

And that sign came at the end of the second week through Iker’s housemaid Cecilia.

She showed up at Lionel’s doorstep with a message from Philipp who had been careful not raise Iker’s suspicion by contacting them in any way. 

“ _It’s time,_ ” was all the message said and that’s when Lionel finally revealed the details of his plan.

The others had gathered in his living room while Lionel began to explain.

“Iker has increased security around and in his house since I broke in and got Miro out. As a new agent Philipp doesn’t have access to the floors with the prison cells, so even though he is able to get us into the house, we still won’t have access to Robert’s cell. That’s why we need Thomas to let himself get captured.”

Perhaps Thomas should be more surprised. But Lionel had emphasized multiple times over the last few days that everyone would need to put himself at risk at one point and he was glad whenever it would be him instead of someone else.

“Alright, how does it work?” he asked calmly.

“I booked a flight from Madrid to Munich in your name. Since you are Iker’s target #1 right now, I bet he will have people checking every airport database in the country. Which means there will be agents waiting for you at the airport and according to Philipp’s information he and Sergio are the only field agents stationed at Iker’s house right now; the other ones there are for security only.”

Now Thomas understood what Lionel was trying to say. “And since those agents always operate as a pair, we have a guarantee that Philipp will be there.” 

“Exactly. Which means he will get access to your cell for 24 hours and as soon as you have woken up and time is right, he will open your cell. Then the two of you can let us in as well.”

Everyone gave their consent except for Marco. “Why does it have to be Thomas? I’m just as much a target as him.”

Thomas scowled at him. “No, you will not put yourself in danger like that.”

Marco met his gaze challengingly. “And you will?”

But it was Lionel who interrupted them before it could turn into another fight. “There is no other option because the agents will sedate that person to keep him down. Thomas’ healing ability enables him to burn up most kinds of poisons in his system faster than you. So he will be back on his feet very soon and the effects of the drugs will have subsided before we start our mission.”

So that was the reason why Lionel had insisted on testing various narcotics on him during those two weeks…

“Very well. When does my plane take off?” he asked.

“In four hours. That’s why I suggest you should prepare yourself for leaving already. As soon as you walk out of this door, you will be on your own.”

But during the next few hours Thomas didn’t do more than sit on the couch, eating breakfast even though he wasn’t hungry and trying to recall everything he had learnt about his ability. He had made great progress, but he wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t make any mistake. This mission was too important and every minor failure could be crucial.

Eventually it was early afternoon and Lionel showed him to the door. Thomas let his gaze wander over every single member of their team. He wouldn’t see some of them – Lionel and Manuel – until very late in their mission or in Miroslav’s case until all of this was over. After taking a long look at everyone, he turned away and got into the taxi Lionel had ordered for him.

His worries must have been showing on his face, because Lionel smiled at him encouragingly. “Don’t worry, this will work. You just focus on getting Robert out and I will protect Manu and Basti while we distract the security guards, Sergio and Iker.”

Thomas knew he was right, but was unable to shake off his concerns. “You said during training that slowing down time too often in a short time span takes its toll on you.”

Lionel sighed. “Yes, that’s true. But I’ve been training my ability for years, so I know my own boundaries. And this rescue operation shouldn’t take more than 15 or 20 minutes tops. As long as I’m not constantly slowing down time during that period, I will be fine.”

That finally managed to calm down Thomas a bit. “I’m overthinking things again.”

“You’re just being very careful, that is in no way negative.”

Thomas nodded and finally got into the car. “See you tonight then.”

He refused to look back at the others when the car was driving away from Lionel’s house.

The drive to the airport took half an hour, but to Thomas it felt a lot longer. Now that he was alone with his thoughts, he was getting nervous again and by the time he left the car and walked through the large front doors of the Madrid-Barajas Airport he was a bag of nerves and had convinced himself Iker wouldn’t fall for their trap. 

It was kind of ironic how relieved he felt when barely five minutes after his arrival chaos began to erupt in the crowd and half a dozen police-men appeared with their guns pointing towards him.

“Don’t move!” one of the men shouted at him. “Now get on your knees” Hands where I can see them!”

Thomas obeyed silently. They were lucky that he didn’t have a power that could harm them; otherwise their guns wouldn’t really scare him.

While the circle of police men around him slowly began to close in on him, he wondered what their superiors had told them about him.

It seemed like Iker always left the police in the dark about their target’s powers, so what was the official reason for arresting Thomas? Have they been told he was a murderer? A terrorist? He would probably never find out.

His thoughts were interrupted when the officer in front of him made a step to the side and revealed two familiar men striding towards him confidently. The taller one clapped three times before grinning down at him smugly. “Well, well, if this isn’t one of our runaways. I have to admit I missed you.”

Maybe it would have been best to keep quiet, but Thomas couldn’t resist to give a remark. “Can’t really say the same of you.”

Sergio chuckled. “I see you’re still very mouthy. I bet you wouldn’t talk to me like that if you had seen what I did to your boyfriend.”

The reminder wiped the amusement off Thomas’ face and he resisted the urge to get back on his feet and punch Sergio’s teeth in. “You will pay for this. I will make sure of that.”

“I’m curious how you want to achieve that when you’re rotting in a prison cell,” Sergio replied cheerfully. “Seriously, right now you should be more worried about yourself because my new partner here has to settle an old score with you.”

Sergio’s eyes turned to the man beside him and Thomas’ followed. Philipp was dressed just like Sergio himself; a classic black suit with a white button-down. The only difference was the pair of black sunglasses that Philipp was taking off now. The smile he was giving Thomas was so cold that Thomas shuddered despite knowing that it was staged.

Philipp crouched down in front of him. “I never forgot what you did to my girlfriend,” Ah, yes, Lionel had briefly told him about the made up story that helped selling the lie to Iker. “How you killed her after she found out about your secret.” Damn, Philipp was good! “Now it’s time for payback.”

Philipp’s arm shot out and Thomas flinched even though he knew what was coming next. A slight sting of the needle at the side of his throat, the narcotic entering his system and in a matter of seconds Thomas could feel his eyelids droop. When his body fell forward, he tried to reach out with his arm to brace himself, but his limbs were too heavy already. He blacked out even before his head hit the ground.

  
  


When Thomas regained conscious, it was to the sound of hushed voices.

It took him another few moments to realize they that he knew those two voices and right now they were arguing.

“I don’t understand why you won’t just let me show him.” Definitely Sergio. “If Robert sees that we got Thomas, he will be eating out of your hand.”

“Good idea, Sergio.” That was Iker. “But unfortunately Robert is in no condition for negotiations thanks to you.”

“I needed to show him I was being serious.”

Iker sighed. “I told you I want to force him to acquire every ability possible. How is he supposed to do that if you kill them before? We need to be more careful of our resources now. It’s hard enough finding one of those people and their numbers are few. Every time we kill one, that power is lost forever.”

Sergio snorted. “I don’t like this one bit. We should make them all suffer, not help one of them to get even more powerful than he already is. You’ve seen the ridiculous high drug dose we already need to keep him down, right? Soon we won’t be able to control him anymore.”

That finally got through to Thomas. Why would Iker want to make Robert more powerful? Sergio’s remark about Robert’s drug dose was just as worrisome.

As was Iker’s reply, “We have Thomas. That will be enough to control him, no matter how strong he gets.”

“Fine. Just promise me we will kill them all once we have put your plan into action, Iker.”

“Of course. They are too dangerous to be left alive.” 

Then Thomas could hear both men walking away and he finally dared to open his eyes. He was in one of those cells again, maybe even the same one.

The artificial light illuminating the small room made it look disgustingly clinical. 

Thomas closed his eyes again and began to concentrate. If Lionel’s theory about his ability was right now, he couldn’t have been out for more than a few hours, so it was probably early evening right now. Still a bit of time left until the actual start of their operation.

Thomas began to scan himself for any injuries or side effects from the drugs, something he had developed in the course of his training. He was mostly fine except for traces of the drugs in his whole system, but that was to be expected. Nothing to worry about. Apparently Philipp had only injected a small amount. 

So for the next two or three hours he just laid on the bed, waiting for Philipp to show up.

When his inner clock figured it must be night already, he finally heard the shrill beeping of the alarm system going off in the building. So it had started, Lionel had drawn the attention of the first guards outside. Barely two minutes later the electric door to his sector opened.

“Thomas?” Philipp asked hesitantly.

Thomas’ eyes snapped open again and he sat up while Philipp used his chip to open the door. “Where’s Sergio?”

“Leading the rest of the squad against Leo. As I suspected, he thinks I don’t have enough experience yet for this kind of fight, so he told me to report back to Iker instead.”

That didn’t really make much sense to Thomas. “But why would you have to report Iker anything? He’s also living in this house; he would have to be deaf to miss the alarm.”

Philipp smiled though while motioning for Thomas to follow him out of the sector. “We are lucky for once. Iker isn’t here. He got an urgent call and left for the airport three hours ago.”

Fate truly seemed to be on their side which was a nice change from their usual streak of bad luck. “So all guards are with Sergio?”

“No, there are two left in the surveillance room, but don’t worry, Leo was prepared for that. He told me to use a record of your last hour in the cell and out it on loop.”

Clever, that much Thomas had to admit. “So if they look, all they see is a loop of me lying on my bed?”

“Yes. Technically you should be out of the drugs, so they would be more suspicious if you were moving.”

Thomas didn’t have a chance to reply because they had reached the upper floor now. Through the large windows they could see the chaos that was going on outside. A dozen men were standing outside, moving their guns from left to right and back again, but they didn’t shoot. To an outsider it must have looked like they were either trying to shoot a fly or had gone crazy. But if Thomas looked very closely, he could indeed see a blur constantly moving out of the line of fire. Especially when the figure switched directions, Thomas could recognize that the blur was Lionel.

“We need to hurry,” he said to Philipp. “Slowing down time for so long tires him out very fast.”

“Yeah, I know,” Philipp replied and then he moved towards the front door to open it while Thomas stayed hidden inside. Since the guards were familiar with him, no one payed him much attention when he opened the door. He took his time taking out his gun and loading it while holding the door open with his foot.

Of course it was code secured as well, Thomas should have known.

The guard closest to the door gave Philipp a furious look. “What are you doing? Just close the-” He broke off with a pained wince before dropping to the ground unconscious.

Thomas stared at the man dumbfounded, wondering how Philipp had managed to do that when Philipp jumped and looked at his own arm scandalized as though someone had just touched it. “What the hell?”

And two seconds later Thomas felt an arm snaking around his back and pulling him towards something that was both hard and soft. Empty air according to his eyes, a muscled chest according to his sense of touch. 

“Manu?” he guessed and that’s when he heard his friend cursing right in front of him.

“Damn, Basti, we’re inside already, so please make us visible again before I’m giving Thomas and Philipp a heart attack.”

“Oh, sorry!” another familiar voice came from Manuel’s right side and immediately the two men became visible.

Thomas had known they were there, but he still jerked when his vision was suddenly filled a broad chest. Now he could finally  _see_ that Manuel was hugging him with one arm while his free hand was now letting go of Bastian’s. When Thomas was finally released and could turn his head to Bastian properly, he saw that Marco was clutching Bastian’s other hand.

In that moment Philipp let the door close behind him and when they turned towards him Lionel was standing there. He was breathing hard and sweat-soaked.

Bastian examined him with a concerned expression. “Are you alright?”

Lionel shrugged it off though. “Don’t worry about me. Let’s go now before those guys return.”

Thomas cast a glance outside where the guards had noticed that their target was gone, but remained standing in front of the door with their guns raised, obviously expecting Lionel to come back. 

The latter eyed them amusedly. “Look at them trying to defend their fortress. They think they are keeping me out when I’ve already snatched in right under their nose.”

Manuel followed his gaze. “Yes, but as long as they remain out there, we cannot escape unnoticed. So we still need to distract them.” He turned back to Lionel. “Do you need more time to recover?”

Lionel shook his head. “No, we don’t have time for that anyway. If it gets too much, Basti will have to make us invisible, that way we will be safe.” He turned to Thomas. “But it will mean that those guards will notice sooner that one of their prisoners is breaking out. So whatever you do, please hurry.”

Thomas nodded and saw Marco and Philipp doing the same, then Lionel turned to the side to grasp Bastian’s hand. Manuel reached for the other and then the three men vanished into thin air, leaving Thomas, Marco and Philipp to wait.

Only two seconds later the alarm went off again, this time quieter though, so it was probably in another sector. It succeeded in stirring the guards outside into action: 

Sergio was running back into the building, shouting loudly into his walkie-talkie while all the guards were following him through the hallway. 

Thomas waited until the echo of their footsteps had faded away before leaving the safety of his hideout. He turned to Marco challengingly. “Ready to save Robert?”

Marco met his gaze with a grim smile. “Trust me, I’m dying to get him back.”

Thomas nodded towards Philipp who got up as well and lead them into the opposite direction the guards had taken.

They entered the elevator and Philipp pushed the button for the highest floor.

Thomas frowned. “I thought all cells were underground.”

“They are,” Philipp agreed. “But Sergio isn’t keeping Robert in an ordinary cell.”

The reached said floor and when the doors opened, there was only a dark corridor ahead. Philipp ignored the various doors on both sides and headed for the one at the back end instead. It was a large steel door and code secured as well.

When they reached it, Philipp turned towards Thomas and Marco. “The door cannot be opened from the inside, so I will stay out here just in case you get locked inside. And you should also know that you only have five minutes of time once this door opens. If it hasn’t been manually locked again within that time, it closes on its own and sets off an alarm for all higher ranking agents which means Sergio in this case.”

Thomas and Marco nodded and steeled themselves while Philipp was entering the eight digit code. They stepped into a dark room that was illuminated by the ghostly silver light of the full moon shining in through the window. From what Thomas could make out, it looked like a hospital room with a single bed and a large side table next to it. 

Thomas swallowed hard when he saw the various appliances neatly lined up on that table. He really hoped none of it had been used on Robert yet.

Together with Marco he stepped closer to the bed onto which a familiar figure was strapped.

“Robert,” Thomas whispered and surged forward.

It was hard to tell whether Robert was conscious or not. His eyes were only halfway closed, but he didn’t seem to be aware of his surroundings at all.

He didn’t react at all to Thomas shaking his shoulder lightly. “Come on, Robert. You need to pull yourself together.”

Marco had joined his side again with a sympathetic expression. “Drug overdose. Iker always puts the stronger ones out like that once Sergio is done with them.”

Marco’s eyes widened as he realized what he had just said and he looked at the appliances before his eyes returned to Robert. Thomas felt a lump forming in his throat as he realized at the same time as Marco what that meant.

Carefully Thomas reached out and stroked down Robert’s head. When he pulled his hand back, it was colored black and the moonlight was bright enough to show him that the black liquid was blood.

Finally Robert's eyes turned to him, but they widened instantly and then he began to trash violently against his restraints.

“No, Sergio, don't!” he whispered in a hoarse voice. “Don't kill another one, please!”

Thomas felt a jab in his chest and his hand returned to gently stroke along the side of Robert's face. “Robert, it's me. Sergio isn't here.”

But either Robert couldn't hear him or he didn't believe that.

“Three minutes,” Philipp reminded them from outside.

Marco tore his eyes away from Robert and looked at Thomas expectantly. “You need to heal him.” His tone allowed no argument while also managing to sound worried.

Thomas would be happy to oblige, but he couldn’t perform miracles. “We don’t have enough time for that. I’ll cleanse his system from the drugs as far as possible; the rest has to wait until we’re out of here.”

Marco didn’t argue and Thomas closed his eyes to focus on Robert. He shut everything out, trusting Marco to warn him if something important happened while he was diving into the stream of Robert’s life energy. Even if he hadn’t seen the blood before, he would have known now that Robert was far from alright. His energy – usually a strong stream that was comparable to a river – was dissolving at the edges; small veins going into various directions before eventually drying up. 

Remembering his tight schedule, Thomas got to work. His conscious stroked over the dissolving veins, feeding it his own clean life energy to cleanse it. It brought the smaller ramifications back into line with the main stream, but then Thomas was pulled out of his task by someone touching him.

He opened his eyes to find Marco’s hand on his chest, pushing him closer to Robert as though to protect them.

Marco wasn’t looking at him but the door.

Thomas could see Philipp standing there with his arms raised in surrender and a tall man standing in the doorway with his gun aimed at Marco.

“Now what do we have here?” Sergio teased amused. “I knew something was up when those freak friends of yours risked their lives only to show up in a sector where no one from their kind was imprisoned anyway, but I didn’t expect this.” He scowled at Philipp. “I would have never guessed that you were behind all of this. I have to congratulate you, it almost worked.” He turned back to Thomas and Marco. “Now, shall we wait for the rest of the party? Your brave friends must have noticed by now that I’m gone, so I imagine they will come to your rescue any minute.” He stepped into the room while pointing his gun at Philipp. “Don’t think about running while I deal with these two.” Philipp gave a clipped nod while Sergio turned his eyes towards Thomas. “I look forward to having a bit of time alone with you, Thomas. I wonder if you can take as much as Robert could. I can tell you, it was such a challenge to make him scream. He took everything silently for so long that it was starting to piss me off. But in the end I always get what I want.”

Thomas tried not to imagine Robert getting tortured, but he couldn’t shove the images away. He felt bile rising up in his throat. “You’re sick.”

But Sergio wasn’t listening to him anymore. He looked down to the bed with a surprised expression. “Oh, look at him; the drugs have worn off already.”

Thomas exhaled in relief when he saw that Robert’s eyes were wide open and finally able to focus as he was trying to understand what was happening. When he seemed to have realized that Marco and Thomas were standing at his bedside as well as Sergio, panic entered his eyes. “Is this another hallucination?”

Sergio chuckled. “No, not this time. Your friends have actually come to your rescue, but I have to play my part as well.”

He was interrupted by the sound of loud footsteps echoing through the corridor. Someone was running towards them.

Sergio raised his index finger to his lips. “Not a word,” he whispered and they didn’t have any choice but to obey. Thomas had never cursed those damn power-blocking drugs more than right now. If it wasn’t for them, Robert would easily be able to make an ice sculpture of Sergio.

But they were forced to be silent as Manuel and Bastian – obviously having seen Philipp at the doorway - came barging through the still open door.

“Sergio is gone, we…” Manuel broke off when he noticed the other persons standing in the room.

“Come on in, please,” Sergio said good-naturedly while pointing his gun at Manuel now. “Where have you left The Flash?”

Manuel glanced at Thomas nervously. “We had to separate before we noticed Sergio was gone. Leo found some files about other prisoners including one with the location and access code to Cristiano. Since Leo was in a bad condition anyway, we left him there to distract the guards on our own.”

Sergio raised his eyebrow. “So he doesn’t know that things have gone haywire for you? What a pity, I would have loved to see his face, but on other hand that’s good news for me because none of you has the power to stop me. Except for him of course.” He looked briefly at Robert before turning to Thomas. “Come on, loosen his bonds.”

Thomas was sure he had misheard Sergio. “You want me to do what?”

“You heard me right,” Sergio said, sounding absolutely serious. “This position must be very uncomfortable for him, so please get rid of those restraints.”

Hesitantly Thomas did exactly that and freed Robert. Carefully he put his arm around the other man while Marco did the same from the other side and together they helped Robert up from the bed.

Robert managed to stay upright but he swayed dangerously as though he was about to collapse again.

Sergio smiled satisfied. Then without warning he aimed at Robert's left leg and shot. The loud sound was deafening in the small room, but it was Robert's sharp cry of pain that made Thomas' insides freeze.

He just managed to catch Robert around the middle when his already weak body gave out and he dropped to the floor. Thomas glanced at the now bleeding leg briefly before returning his gaze to Robert's eyes that were closed in pain now.

“No,” Marco whispered horrified and it made Thomas look at him alarmed. He had never heard Marco using that desperate tone.

One of Marco's hands was placed on Robert's chest and it took Thomas a moment to realize what he was doing: He was checking whether Robert was still breathing or not. Of course such a shot wasn't deadly, that was obvious, but Thomas understood why Marco had a tendency to overreact in this kind of situations. Robert was the only person left that he truly cared about.

“Marco, he will be alright. As soon as we're out of here, I will heal him,” Thomas said even though he had no idea if he was powerful enough to heal this level of damage in one go.

But it seemed to calm Marco down a bit. He gave Thomas a clipped nod who was scowling murderously at Sergio. “You will pay for this!”

“I don't think so considering no one of you will leave this room alive. Except for Robert of course, he's too valuable for Iker to just kill him. I'm tempted though. Hurting him is fun, but it's not enough. I want to see him take his last breath.”

Before he had even finished his sentence, Thomas and Marco both hurled forward in absolute fury, but of course Sergio had seen that one coming; after all he had been provoking them intentionally. There was a second shot and a second scream that made both men halt and turn back, just in time to see Robert curl further in on himself, hands clutching his stomach. The sight of his fingers covered in bright red would certainly haunt Thomas' nightmares for a long time.

Sergio ignored it though. “I hope I made myself clear. You try something like this again and I promise the next bullet will be a bit higher.”

Thomas stood there, glowering at the Spanish before slowly retreating and kneeling down next to Robert. Marco did the same on the other side.

“Robert?” Thomas asked and the older man's eyes fluttered open again.

Despite the protests he received from both sides, Robert brought himself into a sitting position, using one hand to support himself while the other one was still pressing against his abdomen.

“Let them go, Sergio, please,” he hissed with his teeth clenched in pain. “I promise I will do whatever Iker wants me to. Just let them go.”

Sergio seemed to consider the offer briefly. “That would be great, certainly an improvement from the stubborn attitude that you've shown before. But the problem is that I don't believe you.”

Robert was breathing hard now, the arm which was supporting his weight was shaking badly and he was obviously fighting to stay conscious. Thomas needed to heal him very fast; otherwise he was going to die from the massive blood loss.

That's when Thomas realized that Bastian was subtly trying to get his attention. He was scratching the back of his head seemingly absentmindedly, yet his eyes were focused on Thomas until he noticed that he got the latter's attention. Then they turned to Sergio and back to Thomas, all of this while still scratching the back of his head. He repeated that twice before Thomas finally understood what he was trying to convey.

He wanted Thomas to distract Sergio until it was safe for him to make himself invisible and hit the Spanish's head from behind.

But they were all in Sergio's line of vision, therefore it wouldn't be easy drawing the guy's attention for such a venture. He was extremely wary of them all and he was trained to deal with situations where he was keeping persons in check that were thinking of everything to fight him. 

That gave Thomas an idea. Maybe he should try the opposite?

“Fine, Sergio, it's over. You've won,” Thomas exclaimed with finality. Sergio stared at him utterly dumbfounded while Manuel, Philipp and Marco were doing the same. 

Slowly Thomas got back onto his feet while his absence made Robert lean into Marco's arms for support.

“You've got the gun, you showed that you have no qualms about using it.” Thomas took a step forward which didn't escape Sergio's attention, but he didn't comment on it despite narrowing his eyes.

Thomas resumed talking calmly. “I want to rescue Robert, but not as long as that means I will only get myself killed in the process.”

The whole room was shocked into silence by this confession and Thomas could feel Marco's eyes burning into his back. He wished there was a way to make Marco understand that he didn't mean it; that he was only feigning. But there wasn't, so Thomas would have to do that later. He was sure Marco would forgive him for it; after all he had been trying to save Robert with this act.

Contrary to Marco, Sergio still was skeptical of his sudden surrender. “You wouldn't abandon him just like that.”

Thomas shrugged and was proud at how casual his voice sounded. “He's important, but not more so than my own life. If I had to choose between his life and mine, of course I would choose myself.” During talking he managed to take two steps forward without Sergio calling him out for it. “He's not the kind of person I would want to die for.”

Sergio continued staring at him in utter bewilderment for a long moment, then he gazed at Robert briefly. That small moment of carelessness was all Thomas had needed. He could hear hurried footsteps behind him and Sergio's eyes were turning back to him, gun ready to shoot, but hesitating when he saw that no one was moving. At least no one he could see. And just when he seemed to notice Bastian's absence, there was the sound of a punch and he stumbled to the side. Thomas saw his chance in that moment. He didn't wait for Sergio to get back onto his feet or for Bastian to even pop up beside him. Instead he made a dive for the gun and managed to wrestle it out of Sergio's hand. It all happened so fast that he had barely time to think about what he was doing. All he cared about was that Sergio was a threat to Robert, to all of them. So he did the only thing that secured their survival. He aimed the gun at its owner and pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit Sergio right between the eyes and his body dropped dead instantly, but before Thomas could even lower his outstretched arm, there was a hard punch to his face as well as fingers yanking the gun out his hand and then he hit the floor.

He shouldn't be that surprised to find Marco standing over him, hands trembling and a wild glint in his eyes. “You've betrayed me. You said you were willing to do anything for Robert and nothing was more important than him.” His voice was laced with hatred and contempt. “You're just like everyone else. You'd sell him out if it was of any advantage for you.”

Thomas tried to stand up, but Marco raised the arm holding Sergio's gun. “Don't move!”

Thomas froze while Manuel was approaching the other man carefully. “Marco, put the gun down. Thomas was trying to distract Sergio, none of the things you heard were real.”

But Marco wasn't listening to him. His eyes were focused on Thomas entirely as though he couldn't see the other persons standing with him in the room. His pupils had dilated so far that his eyes looked entirely black from a distance.

“I knew I couldn't trust anybody on this. Not when it comes to Robert's life. All the world sees in him is a tool.” He was still aiming at Thomas, but began to walk to the side where Robert was still lying on the ground in his own blood.

A very small smile tugged at the corner of Marco's lips. “But I see what's underneath that facade. A broken man, just like me.” He had reached Robert and knelt down beside him, the look in his eyes softening. “I tried so damn hard to hate him for taking Mario away from me. But I couldn't. Because he's not the real monster, his powers are.” His free hand wounded around Robert's back and he pulled him up towards his own chest. “I won't let anyone take him away from me. Not after the shit we've been through.”

Robert who had watched all of it with a shocked expression was pushing against Marco's chest now. “Marco, please listen to me. I'm not in danger anymore.”

Marco's gaze softened further. “You're right. Because you're here with me.” He pulled Robert even closer until their faces were only inches apart. “I'm glad to have you back.”

Thomas had just enough time to recognize the words from Manuel's vision several weeks ago; the one after Cristiano had shown up at his doorstep for the first time.

Then Marco who was still aiming at him, pulled the trigger just in the same moment as someone pushed Thomas to the side.

And in the next moment he was catching a lifeless body in his arms. 

“No,” he whispered and his eyes widened as he recognized the small figure in his arms; dark brown eyes staring into nothing. 

Philipp. He was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, please don't kill me... :(


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember I said the extra long chapter from last time was an exception? Well, turns out I was wrong, sorry... ;)  
> Seriously I couldn't divide it or anything because of various reasons.
> 
> Just one thing, I want you to keep in mind while reading this:   
> I know that right after the first few sentences you will certainly want to kill me. I know and I understnad. But before doing that, please read this chapter to the very end, maybe it will take some of your anger off.  
> No? Then please pay close attention to the tags of this story and most importantly which tags DO NOT appear...
> 
> For those of you who are getting really worried now:  
> Relax, there isn't anything coming up that could potentially trigger someone. All I'm asking is that you (unlike other people^^) shouldn't jump to conclusions. :)

 

  
Thomas could see it, but he couldn’t comprehend it. Philipp couldn’t be dead, it was not possible.

Very slowly he raised his head to look at Marco who was staring at Philipp’s body horrified. “No…” he whispered, shaking his head as though his denial would be able to change anything.

His voice rang loudly in Thomas’ ears and suddenly it was like he was seeing the world through a veil of red. He let his friend’s body slide to the ground as he got up, ready to charge at Marco, but before he could reach the blond, Robert had somehow managed to place himself between them.

“No, Thomas, stop it!”

The only reason why Thomas wasn’t pushing him out of the way was the fact that this was Robert. “He killed Philipp,” he stated coldly.

Robert was barely able to hold himself upright, his face now greyish. “I know. And I can imagine how you must feel right now, believe me, I do. But I can’t let you do something that you are going to regret later.”

Thomas heard him, but he didn’t understand. “He killed Philipp,” he repeated like a mantra.

“Please, Thomas. Taking revenge won’t bring Philipp back. I’m asking you to show mercy on him. If you can’t do it for him, please do it for me.”

Thomas stood there, torn between avenging his friend and giving in to Robert.

“Why are you taking his side?” he asked hollow.

“This isn’t about taking sides. In the end we’re all on the same one. I’ve killed an innocent as well. If you’re opposing Marco for killing Philipp, you need to do the same with me for killing Mario.”

Thomas stared at Robert dumbfounded. “What happened with Mario was an accident. Marco was aware of what he was doing; only he got the wrong person.”

Robert swallowed. “I know there’s no excuse for what he did. But in the end Philipp’s death has been an accident just as much as Mario’s. I was controlled by my power, Marco was controlled by his fear of losing me.”

Thomas narrowed his eyes. “Maybe I would understand it if his lover’s life was at stake. But you are not Mario.”

“No, I’m not,” Robert replied softly before turning to Marco who was still staring wide-eyed at the dead body in front of him and seemed to have missed the entire conversation.

Robert raised his hand and touched Marco’s cheek softly. 

Marco jerked at the touch and that seemed to end his state of shock. He turned to Robert, eyes more vulnerable than Thomas had ever seen. “I didn’t mean to kill him,” he whispered in a broken voice. “I didn’t mean to kill anybody, I’m sorry…”

Robert leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. “Shh, I know. We’ve been through this kind of thing before, remember? We can do it again.”

Thomas had thought it couldn’t get any worse. But a second later he realized he had been wrong: Robert tilted his head and put a long tender kiss to Marco’s lips.

If Marco had been the one to initiate the kiss, nothing would have been able to save him from Thomas’ wrath. But Robert had been the one to kiss Marco.

And that hurt too much to leave room for hatred.

Just why? And how long had this been going on?

Questions that lodged themselves in his head, but no words left his mouth. He just watched as Robert pulled back and Marco’s lips chased after him. They kissed again, but this time Marco was taking charge, his arms coming around Robert to pull their bodies closer together.

Thomas couldn’t move or turn his eyes away though he felt like screaming in despair. When Marco finally pulled back, his head dropped to Robert’s shoulder and he began to cry.

Robert tried to hold them both upright and his head turned to the side to meet Thomas’ eyes. There was a silent apology in them, but he didn’t voice it which made the situation so much worse. Robert might be sorry for hurting Thomas like that, but he didn’t regret kissing Marco.

In that moment Robert’s legs gave out under him and together with Marco he tumbled to the ground. Manuel was at their side in an instant, briefly checking Robert over before turning to Thomas. “You need to heal him before it’s too late.”

Marco raised his head at those words and met Thomas’ eyes as well. “Please.”

Thomas walked over to them and knelt down beside Robert, silently cursing himself for letting his grief and jealousy rule him. If he wasn’t acting fast, he would lose another friend.

“I will try, but for now I can only deal with the worst. The rest will have to wait until we’re back at Leo’s house.”

He put his hand on Robert's chest and for the second time tonight he drifted into Robert's mind. The energy surrounding him was a mess and scattered as far as he could sense. Thomas had a hard time blocking everything out and focusing merely on dealing with the damage. He couldn’t shake off his pain of losing Philipp as well as that kiss. Therefore it took him quite a long time to patch up the leaks in Robert’s energy and when he returned to his own body, he felt absolutely drained.

“He will be alright,” was all he said just before the last person missing from their team entered the room.

“What are you still doing-?” Lionel broke off when his eyes drifted over the two dead men on the ground. “Jesus Christ, what happened?”

No one was able to explain it just yet, but Marco dropped his head and Thomas could see tears glistening in them again. 

Barely an hour ago he had considered Marco a friend that he would protect no matter what. Now the sight of those tears left him impassive. Marco had ruined everything and nothing could excuse that.

When Lionel realized that he wasn’t going to get an answer, he coughed. “Well, I guess we should talk later. First of all we need to get out of here.” When no one moved at his suggestion, Lionel sighed and then his voice changed to a commanding tone. “Guys, we need to get a move on. I managed to wreck a bit of havoc in a distant sector which should distract the agents for ten minutes, not more. By the end of that, we need to be gone.” He turned to Thomas. “Help Robert walk, the rest of us will be right by your side.”

“Maybe Marco should do that,” Thomas said in a bitter tone. He knew he was being unfair, but he couldn’t bring himself to be reasonable. He noticed the just awakened Robert looking at him intensely, but ignored it.

Lionel gave Thomas a strange look as well. “Well if you say so. Then let’s hurry, we’re running out of time.”

“Wait!” Manuel protested. He walked over to Philipp’s corpse and crouched down beside it.

Lionel looked at him, then at the door with a nervous expression. “Taking him with us will slow us down.”

Thomas gave him a withering glance. “He’s our friend. We will not leave him here like a piece of trash.”

Lionel nodded and watched in silence as Manuel picked up Philipp in his arms to carry him. Then Lionel led them out onto the corridor; Manuel and Bastian following him close behind. Thomas moved to do so too, but then he noticed that Robert was still lying on the ground and Marco still hadn’t moved at all, wide eyes staring into the distance.

“Well, Marco,” he said in a clipped tone that jerked the blond out of his thoughts. “Aren’t you going to help your boyfriend up?” Thomas hated how much he was letting that damn kiss get to him.

Marco didn’t reply, but there was fear in his eyes now as moved towards Robert to pull him up.

Robert reached out for Thomas instead. “Thomas, I-“

“Save it,” Thomas interrupted him coolly. “Whatever you want to say, I don’t want to know.” That was a blatant lie, but he was sure he wouldn’t be able to take any kind of explanation. He just wanted to get away from this.

So he walked out of the room to follow Lionel’s lead. The walk down to the exit took longer than they would have liked with Robert slowing them down, but in the end they made it out safely. For a moment Thomas wondered how they were supposed to return to Lionel’s house - the others had obviously not come with a car of their own for fear of raising suspicion – but then a black vehicle came up the drive way. Behind the driver’s seat was Miroslav whose eyes widened when he saw the state they were all in: Robert looking like he was more dead than alive, Thomas and Marco covered in his blood and of course the motionless body in Manuel’s arms.

“We need to get him to a hospital,” he stated with a look at Philipp, but Manuel shook his head.

“It’s too late already. He’s dead.” Miroslav stared at him like he was waiting for someone to contradict Manuel. They all got into the large car without another word; Manuel was laying Philipp’s body over his lap. 

Thomas refused to look at his friend’s corpse again as though the image would just go away. He felt so hollow inside, so powerless which was a strange feeling considering what he was capable of. His fidgeting didn’t escape Lionel’s attention.

“You can’t use your power to heal Philipp; that is beyond your power. But healing others is in your nature, so I bet it would help you if you did just that.”

Thomas didn’t have to ask to know what Lionel was talking about. His eyes drifted to Robert in the seat beside him and when he saw the other man’s flat breathing, he couldn’t help himself. He reached over and put the palm of his hand to Robert’s chest.

Robert’s eyes fluttered open and fear crossed them briefly before he realized it was only Thomas. Then the fear was replaced by sadness.

Thomas dropped his gaze to Robert’s chest to escape those cerulean orbs because even looking at them hurt.

Thomas didn’t have the energy to drift into Robert’s mind yet again, but nevertheless he tried feeding Robert a bit of it to take some of the pain away. He might be upset, but he wasn’t cruel.

They spent the whole drive in heavy silence, even Miroslav who must have had so many questions. When they pulled up in front of Lionel’s house, its owner motioned for Manuel to follow him, probably to find a place for the body.

“He deserves a proper funeral,” Thomas said. It wasn’t a question.

Lionel nodded. “Of course. But we will have to do it in our midst. If we release his body to the public or let anyone know that he is dead, the police will start asking questions.”

Lionel was right, but Thomas detested the idea. “Soon his friends and family will notice that he is gone and they will be the ones asking questions. Philipp wasn’t the kind of guy who would have just left without saying anything.”

“There is no other way. Eventually he will be declared missing and his case will be shelved.”

Thomas swallowed down his protests. Philipp deserved so much more and his relatives should know why he wasn’t able to contact them anymore, but it was indeed the only way if they didn’t want to get into serious trouble.

So he trotted behind the others who had entered the house and were now waiting in the living room. 

After a few minutes Lionel and Manuel returned and once again the former had to yank them out of their depressed thoughts.

“There is still a few hours left until sunrise. We should all get some sleep and bury Philipp in the morning.” His eyes drifted over the group. “As most of you know already, I only have three guest rooms, so you will have to share. Miro has got his own room because he’s a frequent guest here.” He smiled weakly at Miroslav before continuing, “The rest of you can make the arrangements themselves.”

Before Thomas could stop himself, his gaze turned to Robert instinctively, but the older man was eying Marco concerned. Then he looked up at Lionel. “I will stay with Marco. He shouldn’t be alone right now.”

Before Lionel was able to answer, Thomas remarked, “He could also stay with Manu or Basti.” 

Damn, why couldn’t he just let it go? He was sounding like a jilted lover even though he and Robert had never actually been together. He had just assumed they would have time for that once this was over; that the only reason keeping them apart was this mess with Iker.

Not once had he considered the mere possibility that Robert might be in love with someone else. God, he had been such a fool! Had he really believed Robert would return his feelings just because Thomas had expressed his own?!

His spinning thoughts were interrupted by Robert’s reply.

“No, it has to be me.”

Another statement that felt like a rejection.

Without another word Thomas turned away and walked up the stairs and along the gallery until he reached the room he and Manuel had occupied up to now, the one initially intended for Cristiano.

Only when the door of that room closed behind him, he was finally overcome by his emotions and able to cry. He still hadn’t stopped when Manuel came into the room much later…

 

After a few hours of restless sleep, Thomas was standing on top of the highest hill behind Lionel’s house. The sun was rising on the horizon yet there was a cool chill in the air. They had all gathered around the concealed body lying on top of the flat stone plate there; the only one absent was Marco.

Not that Thomas wanted to see him right now anyway. He glanced at Robert briefly, noting his devastated face and his still much too pale face. He looked horrible.

It reminded Thomas that he still hadn’t healed Robert completely and he made a mental note to address that later.

For now he watched silently as Lionel - who had been the last of them to speak a few words on Philipp – lowered the torch he had been holding. The white blanket covering the corpse caught fire immediately and they watched while the flames were consuming the mortal remains of their friend.

One after one the others returned to the house, but Thomas didn’t feel like leaving. In the end he was alone with Robert, eyes still glued to the diminishing flames. 

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” Robert admitted softly. When Thomas didn’t respond, he added, “I know how you must feel like and I want-“

Thomas’ fragile self-control crumbled with those few words. “Have you noticed that you start every sentence with  _I_ ?  _I’m sorry, I know, I want…_ ” His sharp tone stunned Robert into silence. “Because all you ever think about is you, is that it? We risked our lives for you, Philipp is dead and all you can think about is snogging Marco.”

A part of him wanted Robert to lose his cool and finally lash out as well because that would have meant that he cared about those words, that he didn’t agree with them. 

But Robert didn’t argue. After a long moment he replied, “You have every right to be angry. All I’m asking from you is that you don’t take it out on Marco. If you need to lash out at someone, I’m here.”

Thomas didn’t like the direction their conversation was taking. “That sounds like you’re expecting me to punish you.”

“Isn’t that what people always do when they are upset?” Robert answered softly.

And finally Thomas looked up to meet his eyes. He wondered if Robert was speaking from experience…

But then they were interrupted by Manuel running over to them, an alarmed expression on his face.

Thomas frowned. “What’s wrong now?”

“It’s Marco. He seems to be having a panic attack.”

Before Manuel had even finished, Robert was already running towards the house and Thomas followed right after, his resentment to Marco momentarily forgotten. Robert took two stairs at a time and passed Bastian and Miroslav who had been standing at the door to Marco’s room with absolutely terrified expressions.

When Robert and Thomas entered the room, they saw Lionel standing next to the bed, trying to calm down Marco who was lying on the bed and trashing around violently. His mouth was open as though he wanted to scream, but no sound was coming out and then Thomas noticed that Marco’s body was convulsing so hard that he had trouble breathing. 

While Thomas was frozen by shock just like the others, Robert strode over to the bed, pushing Lionel out of the way without a word and sitting down on the bed as well. Somehow he managed to pull Marco into the hug even though the smaller man was still trying to hit everything in his reach and his hands connected several times with Robert’s upper body.

“Marco, calm down, it’s me!” Marco’s head turned towards him, but otherwise he didn’t react to Robert. 

„It's me,” Robert repeated softer this time. „You're not alone, I'm still here.”

Finally recognition dawned in Marco's eyes and his trashing stopped. Instead he let himself lean into Robert's arms. „I could see his empty eyes staring back at me. He isn't going to forgive me for killing him, no one is going to.”

„Shh,” Robert interrupted him while stroking down Marco's back soothingly. „It will take a bit of time, but eventually things get better. And one day the others will forgive you.”

Marco turned his head, so he could look at the side of Robert's face. „Is that how you were feeling after Mario had died?”

„I'm sure it was even worse considering Mario was one of my best friends,” Robert answered.

Marco closed his eyes and tightened his grip around Robert. „I'm sorry for how I treated you. I'm so sorry!”

„You were upset and needed to lash out, I understand that. If I didn't, I wouldn't have stayed.”

Marco tensed visibly. „Don't talk like it's alright what I did to you!”

Robert shrugged. „Nothing you did came close to hurting me the way I hurt myself.”

Thomas stared at Marco, wondering what exactly they were talking about, but the blond didn't reply anymore. One of Robert's hand stilled at his back, the other came up to the back of his head as he leaned forward to lay Marco down on the covers. Marco didn't protest, at least until Robert tried to move off the bed. Then his hand shot out and grabbed Robert's wrist.

„Please, don't leave me!”

A sad smile appeared on Robert's face. „Of course not. There's been enough leaving going on.” Slowly he stretched out alongside Marco on the bed and the smaller man turned towards him, arms coming around Robert's waist while he let his head rest on the latter's chest.

And suddenly Thomas felt like an intruder once again. He caught Robert’s gaze –wondering whether it was meant for Marco or for him – before turning back to the door and exiting the room. As soon as they were back in the living room, he was stopped by Manuel. “You two need to talk about what happened last night.”

“What’s there to talk about?” Thomas answered, sounding just as bitter as he felt. “Marco loves Robert, Robert loves Marco. End of story, no reason to make a fuzz about it.”

And that little remark seemed to be enough to set Manuel off completely. He grabbed Thomas’ shoulder harshly and made the younger man turn around. “That’s it! I’ve had enough of your whining! Stop bottling up your worries and jumping to conclusions, otherwise you might lose Robert forever!”

“Just in case you haven’t noticed. He kissed Marco, they are sharing a room – hell, even a bed – right now. Robert has made his choice and I’ve got to live with it.”

“You’re making things a bit easy for yourself, don’t you think?” Manuel countered.

Of course he was, that much Thomas knew as well. But whatever Robert's reasons were, he wasn't sure if he would be able to take it.

Lionel appeared at Manuel's side, his warm eyes studying Thomas carefully. “I've known Robert for a very long time. Maybe you forgot, but while Mario and Marco chose to follow Cristiano's path, Robert chose me instead. So I like to believe that we were close once.” Thomas didn't interrupt him. Lionel had that special aura; too calm and patient to put up an actual fight in most situations; a trait that reminded Thomas a bit of Robert.

Lionel smiled sadly. “Robert is one of the most loyal persons I know. Too loyal sometimes. He wouldn't have hurt you if he didn't have a damn good reason.”

Thomas snorted. “Fine, but I don't want to know.”

Had he really considered Lionel a calm person just moments ago? Scratch that, he had been so wrong.

Lionel's expression darkened, his dark eyes blazing furiously. “Enough! Philipp is dead because we didn't take Marco's obvious problems seriously. You owe it to your friend to find out why he had to die.”

Thomas couldn't argue with that and all of a sudden he felt guilty. He was behaving like a petulant child instead of trying to help fix this mess. 

“You're right, I'm sorry,” he admitted quietly.

Lionel's features softened. “Now go to him and let him explain.”

Thomas nodded and once again he walked up the stairs, this time a lot slower. He had no idea what to say to Robert. Last night seemed to have created a rift between them and Thomas' fierce resolution to avoid him had only increased it.

He reached the door and after a short hesitation he knocked tentatively. He received no answer and so he entered the room carefully.

As expected Robert and Marco hadn't moved off the bed. Robert was now lying on his side and holding Marco in his arms. The blond had curled in on himself while his face was pressed against the taller man's chest, seeking comfort.

Robert's eyes turned to Thomas, but he didn't move. 

Carefully Thomas approached the bed from Marco's side in order to have a clear view on Robert's face.

They stared at each other for a long moment, each waiting for the other to start speaking. Thomas was the first to give in.

“Is he sleeping?” he whispered with a quick glance at Marco.

“Yes. After a panic attack he's usually out like a light.”

Thomas sat down on the edge of the bed, careful to keep his distance from the two entangled men. “You were the only one of us keeping his cool. You almost seemed to be used to this kind of situations.”

Robert averted his eyes and for a moment Thomas feared that he had messed things up again by prying into matters that only concerned Robert and Marco.

But eventually Robert answered his unspoken question. “I am. Marco has had many of those panic attacks before. It got better and when I eventually left, he hadn't suffered one for six months.”

Thomas didn’t have to be a psychic to guess why those panic attacks had started in the first place. “It’s because of Mario, isn’t it?”

Robert’s fingers stroked over Marco’s hair absentmindedly. “He misses Mario. And he is the kind of person who can’t deal with grief very well, not on his own at least.”

Thomas glanced down at Marco, taking in the way he was clinging to Robert as though the latter was a lifeline. Right now it was hard not to feel sympathy for him.

When he looked back up, he saw that Robert was watching him warily.   
“You said you don’t want to know why I kissed Marco and I respect that. But if you changed your mind, I would like to show you.”

“Show me?” Thomas repeated confused.

“Cristiano’s ability. There’s more to it than forcing his will on someone or inflicting pain. That’s not the initial concept of his power,” Robert explained. “Those are the most common ways he uses his ability, but the basic concept is to transfer your own thoughts and feelings into someone else’s mind.”

Put like that Cristiano’s ability sounded much less scary than it was. But even if that wasn’t necessarily painful, Thomas’ desire for answers wasn’t greater than his fear of having his worst suspicions confirmed.   
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to experience your feelings for Marco firsthand. I think I got the idea already.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Robert replied and after hesitating for a moment he added, “I’d like to share my memories with you.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back to the usual (shorter) length.  
> As most of you guessed already, this is the overdue flashback chapter. There's not much happening in this one, but those boys deserve a break from all the crap that happened. So you guys can sit back and relax while reading this. :)

 

 

Thomas was taken aback by the suggestion. It felt personal and though he was curious, he didn’t want to violate Robert’s privacy like that. It must have shown on his face, because Robert added in a reassuring tone, “I want you to understand, but I wouldn’t offer to do that if I didn’t trust you.”

Slowly Thomas moved closer until there was only Marco lying between them. “Will it hurt you?”

“No,” Robert answered but it sounded uncertain. “Not physically at least.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow questioningly to make him continue. “Cristiano barely applied his ability for that, so he couldn’t really show me how to use it properly. That means there’s always the danger that I lose myself in my own memories.” 

Thomas frowned. “You mean it's possible that you get stuck in your head?”

Robert's hand carding through Marco's hair stilled and he tensed again. “Some memories feel more real than the present. It may be tempting for me to stay in that place; to relive those moments again and again.”

“So those memories you want to show me are good ones?” Thomas concluded.

Robert didn't respond right away but was thinking his answer over. “No. Actually I'm about to show you the worst moments of my life.”

That succeeded in making Thomas nervous. “But why would you want to stay and relive them again?”

Robert raised his eyes and up close Thomas could see sadness in them again; the same one that had been there the first few days after Thomas had met him. It was like Robert's past was haunting him and beginning to catch up again.

And when Robert answered him, Thomas realized that the other man had lost the will to keep on running from it.

“Because at least I felt alive back then. Even when I was feeling pain, guilt or fear, those feelings were burning me up from the inside. Nowadays I feel so numb and hollow inside.”

Thomas began to understand what Robert was trying to tell him. “Marco made you feel alive. And you would like to get back to that place.”

“Yes and no,” Robert replied and his hand in Marco's hair moved up to trace along Thomas' jawbone lightly. “I wanted to for a long time. But now there's a part of me that wonders if there's more to life, even for someone like me.” A small smile appeared on Robert's face. “When I handed myself over to Iker, I told you that you make me want to try and search for a reason to live.” He hesitated a second and his hand dropped to Thomas' chest. Even through the fabric of his shirt the touch felt like it was burning Thomas' skin; branding it. 

He almost missed Robert's next words. “I may have found that reason.” 

Had they always been this close? Thomas could feel every breath on his skin and Robert's face was so close that it was the only thing he could see. Forming a coherent sentence was a hard task now. “And what is that?”

Robert's eyes dropped to Thomas' mouth and that was answer enough. His heart was soaring and he was barely aware of his left hand coming up to lie on Robert's waist while his head moved forward, intending to do what he had been wanting for so long. But just when the tip of his nose touched Robert's softly and their lips were less than an inch apart, Robert's hand on his chest pushed him backwards softly.

The sadness was back in Robert's eyes. “You might regret that after having seen my memories.”

Thomas seriously doubted that. “There's nothing you could show me that would make me turn my back on you.”

Robert looked at him for a long time as though wanting to protest. In the end he accepted that confession without any remark. “Then let me show you.”  
Thomas nodded and watched as Robert slowly disentangled himself from Marco and climbed over the sleeping form until he was kneeling on the bed, right beside Thomas. “It's best if you just keep lying here, we're going to be out for quite a while.” He maneuvered Thomas until he was lying on his back then he lay himself down on Thomas' body, his head on the younger man's chest. Thomas' arms instinctively came up to hold him in place just when Robert said, “Don't let me lose myself in there.”

Thomas' body relaxed while he tightened his grip around Robert's body. “Don't worry. I don't intend to lose you to the ghosts of your past.”

“Thank you,” Robert answered softly. And before Thomas could respond, he felt a jolt going through his body and suddenly their surroundings had changed.

They were both standing in a large pompous room. The entire furniture was made out of dark mahogany wood and the walls were hidden by massive bookshelves on every side. Though every outline of the room was clear, the sky which was visible through the window was entirely grey in an unnatural way as though Robert’s memory lacked that small detail of the sky’s color on that day. But Thomas’ attention was drawn to the middle of the room: Lying side by side on one of the light brown leather couches were two men. The taller one of them was identical to the man standing next to him right now except that he was giggling and it made him look much younger.

Thomas knew the other man from the photos in Leo’s album only and seeing him now felt surreal…

Mario had draped himself over Robert’s chest to make them both fit on the couch and he was trying to read the book Robert was holding.

“Quit it, Mario, I’m trying to study!” Robert chided him, but he sounded like he didn’t mind that much.

“ _The first step to find inner peace is learning how to control your emotions,”_ Mario read out loud. “Are you training to be the next Yoda?”

Robert shut the book and sat up so sudden that Mario slid from his stomach rather ungraciously. “Don’t you have anything better to do than disturbing my practice?”

Mario chuckled. “How can you call that practice? You’re only reading books the whole day.”

“You think?” Robert asked and his tone promised mischief. “Then hit me with your best shot.”

Mario’s smile dropped in an instant. “Cristiano forbade us too. He said as long as you avoid using your ability, you won’t be able to control it.”

“Yes, that’s what Cristiano says. Leo thinks differently.”

Mario bit his lip hesitantly and his nervousness transferred to Thomas as well. After all Robert was showing him this memory for a reason…

After another long moment Mario raised his hand and suddenly the temperature in the room dropped rapidly. Thomas shuddered at the chill air and watched in fascination as little ice crystals began to cover the clothes on Robert’s body.

The older man was letting it happen without a reaction until even his dark hair was covered in sparkling white and the ice was starting to make him immobile.

Mario dropped his hand, looking surprised. “You didn’t attack me.”

Robert only gave him a proud grin as an answer. 

Thomas turned to the real Robert beside him. “How is this one the worst moments of your life?”

“It isn’t,” Robert replied without meeting his eyes. “It’s a very good memory actually. I just think you need to have seen the good before you can truly understand the bad.”

And with that the room vanished until they were surrounded by nothing but grey. A few seconds later they were standing on green grass with a few trees in front of them and a large mansion behind them. Thomas jumped when he found Mario standing to his left and Marco right next to him. The blond was clearly anxious and Mario gently reached out for his hand.

“Don’t worry, Marco, it’s going to be alright. He’s going to be fine.”

“I know,” Marco agreed but he still sounded worried.

Lionel walked over to them with a grim look. “I don’t like this one bit. He’s been doing fine, it’s not worth risking that.”

Thomas turned to Robert with a frown. “What’s going on? Why are Leo and Marco worried?”

“Just watch,” Robert said ominously.

When Thomas turned back to the three men, he noticed that two familiar figures were coming over from the mansion.

The first one was Cristiano and he seemed to be the only one of the persons present who hadn’t changed that much. He was radiating his usual confidence, but while Thomas had found it annoying before, it was now much-needed. Especially Lionel and Marco seemed to draw strength from it. 

Cristiano gripped Lionel’s arm reassuringly. “Stop being so pessimistic. You were the one to train Robert, that’s why I’m sure he will handle himself just fine.”

Despite his worries Lionel had to smirk. “Were you just trying to compliment me?”

Cristiano’s answering smile was vibrant and unlike anything Thomas had ever seen before. He had been wrong, they had all changed…

“I wouldn’t dream to. You never accept my compliments anyway.”

“Liar,” Lionel whispered and though his eyes were narrowed, his voice betrayed his amusement.

Cristiano turned back to Robert who was standing behind him. “Come on, Lewy, let’s give you that overdue power boost.” He sat down on the ground and Robert did the same begrudgingly.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Robert remarked half-heartedly.

Cristiano sighed. “I can see that Leo is not a good influence on you.” He glared at said man. “Aren’t you supposed to motivate him to push his boundaries?”

Lionel shrugged. “I can’t encourage him when he’s putting others at risk.”

Cristiano rolled his eyes. “You’re such a pessimist.”

“I’m a realist,” Lionel argued just when Robert coughed impatiently.

“Would you two stop bickering, please? I just want to get this over with!”

“You’re right, let’s begin,” Cristiano agreed and Robert sat down right in front of him, so their knees were touching.

Robert turned to Marco. “I’ve never done this before, so I have no idea if it will be painful for Cristiano or me. I trust you to interfere when you have the feeling that it’s getting out of hand.”

Marco nodded grimly. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Robert turned back to Cristiano. “Ready when you are.”

The older man placed his hands on the sides of Robert’s head and focused. 

Thomas who watched the scene silently up to now turned to the real Robert beside him. “This was the day you gained Cristiano’s ability, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I was supposed to acquire Leo’s ability since he was my mentor, but we figured his ability was too dangerous if this experiment somehow failed. And it is too complicated to learn in a short time span.”

They returned their attention to the scene in front of them. Nothing had happened as of now, at least nothing they could see.

Mario leaned over to Marco and spoke what Thomas had been wondering as well. “What exactly are they doing right now?”

Marco shrugged. “Robert told me once that he can only learn an ability when its owner is using it right in that moment. So I guess Cristiano is trying to get inside Robert’s head.”

“That’s correct,” Lionel remarked. “Cristiano is trying to go slow, so that Robert can follow him each step of the way, but it also requires a considerable amount of resistance on Robert’s part. That’s the reason he has been training excessively with Cristiano recently.”

The conversation was interrupted by a groan coming from the latter. Thomas watched him worriedly, noting the frown on his face and the slight tremor going through his body as he dropped his hands from Robert’s face. Now the initial positions were reversed with Robert focusing on Cristiano intensely, hard cold eyes boring into Cristiano who closed his own as though he could escape the situation. 

Lionel, Marco and Mario as well as Thomas jumped in surprise when all of a sudden Robert leaned forward, his hands gripping Cristiano’s face more tightly than what could be comfortable.

Cristiano’s eyes snapped back open, but they were glassy and staring into the distance.

“Robert…” Cristiano managed to say out loud, a warning as well as slightly panicked tone.

But Robert wasn’t listening at all. There was a scary ferocity in the way he pulled Cristiano’s body closer, like a predator that was about to devour its prey.

Marco threw a nervous glance at Lionel, obviously unsure if he should stop this or not.

“Do it!” Lionel commanded with a dark scowl.

But to everyone’s surprise Mario shook his head vehemently. “No, not yet. Robert needs to stop this of his own accord, otherwise this whole training has been for nothing.”

Lionel stared at him in bewilderment. “He’s hurting Cristiano!”

“And Cristiano knew that from the beginning and decided to take that risk,” Mario retorted. “I can imagine that this must be hard, but you have to leave your personal feelings aside.” His voice softened at the next words. “Think about it. If we use our powers to force Robert against his will, it will only confirm what he has been thinking all along. That he is too dangerous to be trusted with anyone’s safety.” He turned his eyes to Marco. “Please, Marco. We should have faith in him.”

For a long moment Marco said nothing, but eventually he gave in. “You’re right.”

The three men turned back to Cristiano and Robert.

The former was shaking badly, eyes once again closed tightly. “”Robert, stop!”

Robert, who had stilled previously, was the one who started shaking now. “I can’t…” His hands curled into fists and he managed to push himself away from Cristiano, but he and Cristiano were still linked mentally, that was apparent. Robert bowed his head as he seemed to fight for control over his power while Cristiano fell to the side. Lionel was with him in an instant though there was nothing he could do to help.

Mario turned to Robert. “Come on, Robert, you can do it!”

But Robert shook his head and the movement was followed by blood dripping from his nose. “I’m not strong enough!”

A pained sound left Cristiano’s mouth that was turned into a cough that was accompanied by blood as well.

“Cris!” Lionel exclaimed and put an arm around his shoulders worriedly.

The name sent another tremor down Robert’s back and his knuckles turned white from the effort of keeping himself in check.

“Marco, please…” he pleaded and he opened his bloodshot eyes to look at the blond. 

Marco appeared torn as he glanced from Robert to Cristiano and then to Mario. In the end he shook his head. “No. You can do this on your own.”

Robert gave another whimper of pain, but he closed his eyes once again and Thomas could see that Cristiano’s body began to relax a bit. 

He held his breath as he realized that Robert seemed to win his struggle against his own power. But he had forgotten that Robert was showing him his worst memories, so he was just as surprised as Marco and Mario when a sudden jolt went through Robert’s body and his back arched in a very unnatural manner before he dropped to the ground like a stone.

“Robert!” Thomas, Marco and Mario shouted in unison and ran over to him. Thomas only remembered that he wasn’t part of the scene when his hand which he had reached to pull Robert up, went through him as though he was nothing but thin air. Instead Marco and Mario were the ones to touch Robert and make sure he was still alive.

After a second Marco sighed in relief. “He’s conscious.”

Thomas let out the breath he had been holding while a slightly older version of Robert – the Robert he was familiar with - trudged over to him with a closed off expression. He ignored his own body lying in Marco's and Mario's arms and instead he turned to Cristiano who had opened his eyes just now.

He tried to sit up, but winced in pain at the movement and let himself fall back against Lionel's shoulder. “Let's never do that again. I feel like my head has been smashed against a wall.”

No one disagreed with him.

Marco turned his attention back to Robert. “How are you feeling? Aside from the pain obviously.”

Robert tried to shrug, but his body was too weak and in the end his head only lolled against Marco's chest. “I feel like I'm burning from the inside.”

Marco and Mario shared a nervous look over his head, but didn't respond. Instead Marco pulled him closer. “You look like you're about to feint on the spot. Just sleep now.”  
Robert seemed like he wanted to protest, but Mario put a hand on his shoulder. “Marco's right. We'll talk about this as soon as you're back on your feet.”

Robert nodded and then the whole scene faded to black.  Thomas was still processing what he had just seen when Robert came back to his side with a wary expression.

“That day was the one to start it all. The day I began to lose control of myself.”

“None of this was your fault,” Thomas objected even though he knew Robert would disagree.

“It's not about fault. It's about will.”

And before Thomas had time to respond, a new scene appeared.


	13. Chapter 13

They were standing in a large bedroom, presumably inside Cristiano’s house again. The curtains had been closed to keep the bright daylight out, yet the person lying on the bed wasn’t sleeping.

Robert was on his back, tired eyes staring up at the ceiling and cold sweat glistening on his skin.

“You look ill,” Thomas commented, knowing that the real Robert would hear him.

“That was five days after I gained Cristiano’s ability. As you can see I was still struggling to cope with the additional power.”

That reminded Thomas of something. “You told Marco you felt like you were burning from the inside. And he said once that you had a fever when you accidentally killed Mario.”

He didn’t want to ask further, but there was no need to, Robert had got it anyway.

“Yes, those two incidents are related. Did Marco also tell you that my power seems to have a mind of its own? That it only snapped when it realized Mario’s ability could save me?”

Thomas nodded wordlessly.

“Then take a close look at this memory here. Keeping Marco’s words in mind, it’s not as random as it might seem at first.”

Thomas turned his attention back to the memory, unsure what to expect. He studied the man on the bed carefully, taking in his unsteady breathing and the constant flexing of the muscles in his arms, as though he was itching to dig his claws into something solid. He looked like a caged animal.

The strange atmosphere was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

Robert closed his eyes in annoyance. “I know you mean well, but please just go away.”

Thomas wasn’t surprised to see the door open; he would have done the same. It was Mario. Upon seeing him Robert turned to the other side as though presenting his back would prompt the younger man to leave. Of course that was wishful thinking.

“I like him,” Thomas remarked with a proud smile as he watched Mario sit down on the bed.

“Yeah, I have the feeling you two would have got along very well,” Robert agreed with a sad smile.

They both watched as Mario reached out to touch Robert’s shoulder, but at the last moment seemed to think better of it and withdrew his hand. “You haven’t left your room for five days. We’re all worried about you.”

“I know,” was all Robert said.

“You shouldn’t deal with this on your own. Let us help you.”

Robert’s hands curled into fists. “You can’t help me, no one can.” Finally he turned to face Mario. “Please leave. I feel like a ticking time bomb and your presence only makes it worse.”

Mario sighed. “And you think locking yourself in will make it better? You’ve tried and obviously it didn’t work.”

Robert dropped his gaze. “At least I can’t hurt anyone as long as I’m in here.”

“You’re wrong,” Mario replied patiently as though it was something he was used to saying. “You _are_ hurting someone.”

A concerned expression crossed Robert’s face and he raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“Yourself of course,” Mario continued.

“That can’t be helped,” Robert responded in a dismissive tone.

Even though Thomas knew that this was long past and he couldn’t change anything, he couldn’t help the anger boiling up inside of him. 

Luckily Mario seemed to be on the same page. “Stop thinking like that! Your life matters just as much as anyone else’s!”

Slowly Robert sat up on the bed. “I know why you are saying that and I really appreciate it. You’re a good friend.”

“But…?” Mario proposed warily.

“But if you think about it rationally, it would be best for all of us if my powers would just kill me right here before I can hurt someone.”

That comment stunned Mario into silence and Thomas felt the same.

When Mario had finally found his voice again, it was cold. “So your solution is to just lie down on your bed and wait for death to take you? What made you think we would let that happen?!”

Robert’s patience seemed to have run out now because he whipped around and gripped Mario by the shoulders. “You have no idea what it feels like! My whole body is vibrating with so much power and I just can’t get rid of it! Do you want to know what it’s been whispering to me ever since you came in?” Robert didn’t even wait for a reply from the speechless Mario. “ _Let’s take his power, then kill him. Come on, it would be so easy. Use your new ability and force him to lie still as you take what should belong to us. Then snap his neck, he won’t feel a thing.”_

Thomas stared at the two men in shock. Marco might have warned him that Robert’s power was acting on its own, but hearing it firsthand was different.

By now Mario had found his voice again. “Since when is it talking to you?”

Robert let out a forced chuckle. “Since the day Cristiano first showed me his power and made me realize that there are other people like me out there. But it was just a little voice in my head that I could ignore. But now that it has got a taste of more power, it’s always there and I don’t know anymore which thoughts are my own and what is the influence of my power.” He let go of Mario and looked down at his own hands. “It seems like the more power I gain, the more my grip on it slips.”

After his confession it was silent for a few long minutes. Thomas looked over to Robert and asked, “Cristiano said something similar.”

Robert chuckled humorlessly. “Yes, but back then he still believed in me. Even after I had almost killed him. And even after Mario.”

Thomas stilled. “Hold on. I thought the reason he was after you when we met was Mario?”

“Not right away. He still believed I could be stronger as long I wanted to fight it. It took him a few months to finally lose his faith in me.”

Thomas had a sense of foreboding. “Something happened. Something you haven’t told me yet.”

Robert gave him a long look and Thomas could see fear in them again. It had been a while since Robert had last looked at him like he was expecting to be hit. “We couldn’t tell anyone, no one would have understood. But Cristiano found out anyway.”

“Who is _we_?” Thomas asked confused.

But Robert shook his head. “Not yet. There are still a few memories I want you to see before that.”

And just like that the room as well as the two persons on the bed faded away.

This time the memory took a bit longer to materialize and when it did, Thomas found himself still standing in the same room with Robert still lying on the bed. It was entirely dark, so it must have been night outside and the only source of light was a small bedside lamp. But the most significant change was something else…

“Why do I feel like my insides are burning up?” Thomas asked through clenched teeth.

He shuddered when Robert touched his shoulder gently. “I’m sorry. But for the remaining memories you need to feel what I felt otherwise you still won’t understand why I can’t really leave Marco. Without my feelings you might even understand it less after having seen those memories.”

“Okay, fine, I can deal with a bit of pain,” Thomas responded reassuringly. But when there was once again a knock on the door, he realized that pain might not be his biggest problem here. Because he knew he should be feeling curious as to who would enter, but Robert’s feelings from that memory were drowning out his own. So instead of curiosity he felt a wave of annoyance going through him. The door opened and this time it was Marco who entered. 

Thomas wasn’t prepared for the jolt going through his body and all of a sudden, there was a loud drumming in his head and he could hear a voice speaking to him.

_Power. So much power. Make it ours._

“Dammit, that hurts!” Thomas exclaimed as he brought up his hands to his temples.

“I’m sorry,” Robert repeated and he sounded regretful. “I wish I could save you the pain, but it’s either all feelings or none.”

Thomas tried to ignore the voice and focused on the scene in front of him.

Marco had sat down on the bed, just like Mario earlier. “Mario told me everything.”

Robert frowned. “Then you know that it’s not a good idea to be here right now.”

“Why?” Marco teased with a smirk. “Because the voice in your head wants you to slit my throat?”

“It’s not funny,” Robert replied. Then an idea seemed to form in his head and Thomas felt hope cutting through his fog of pain.

Robert sat up and faced Marco with a determent face. “You can make it go away.”

Marco froze and for the first time he looked afraid. “I don’t think taking my power and killing me is the best solution for your problem.”

“Of course I don’t want to kill you,” Robert answered impatiently. “But you could suppress my power. Then that voice and the burning would go away.”

Thomas felt the flame of hope rising in his chest, because this was it, the perfect solution that would prevent him from hurting someone-

“No.”

That one little world crushed Thomas’ – no, Robert’s – hope as fast as it had appeared.

Marco shook his head. “I'm sorry, but neutralizing your power would only be a temporary fix. It would only work as long as you're with me and in the end it  m ight only make things worse.”

Robert leaned back against the headboard of the bed, resignation filling him after being turned down even though he knew his friend had a very valid point.  
“You're right. But I just want it to stop before something bad happens. Something that I won't be able to undo.”

Marco moved closer until he was sitting side by side with Robert and their arms were touching. It was both soothing and distracting as the voice returned to the front of Thomas' mind. He managed to block it enough to understand what Marco was saying.

“I can't imagine what you must feel like right now. And I know that you can't believe in your own strength yet.” Marco turned to look at Robert intensely. “That's why I'm asking you to believe in me instead. I know you have the strength to do it and until you can see that for yourself, I want you to believe in me.”

Robert didn't say anything for a while. Thomas felt his conflicting emotions – guilt, gratitude, doubt and most of all hope. Eventually he settled on the later and let it fill him and lessen some of the pain.

“Alright, that's something I can do. But only if you promise me something.”

“Sure, what is it?” Marco replied surprised.

Thomas knew what was coming next. He could see it in Robert's eyes even before he spoke the words out loud.

“If you're wrong and I end up doing something bad that cannot be undone, I want you to kill me.”

Marco and Thomas both froze. For the first time since that memory had begun, Thomas' own feelings managed to overtake Robert's and he felt denial coursing through him.

Marco looked just as unwilling when Robert gripped his shoulder. “Please, Marco. You're the only one who will be able to stop me if I get out of control. I'd prefer dying than hurting someone else.”

Marco closed his eyes. “Okay, I'll do it.” He reopened them and met Robert's gaze again. “I promise.”

And very slowly the scene darkened until Thomas and Robert were surrounded by darkness.

Thomas turned to the other man with fury. “Robert, what the hell were you thinking? Why is giving up your answer to everything?”

Robert was staring into the distance. “It was my safeguard against my power, just in case. I was hoping the threat of me dying would make my power more docile, after all it would die together with me.”

Thomas tried to get what Robert wasn't saying. “So you didn't believe Marco would have to do it?”

Robert shrugged. “He asked me to believe in him. And he was so sure I wouldn't lose to my powers that I had to believe that too.”

They were interrupted by another memory materializing in front of them. 

They were out in the open, a yellow blanket sprad on the green grass and the sun shining brightly. Robert was lying on his back, eyes closed as he bathed in the sun. He still looked a bit sick, but not as bad as in the bedroom and at least he looked kind of content. Next to him Marco and Mario were lying side by side and lazily making out.

“Are you sure you don't want me to leave you alone? I wouldn't mind.”

Mario pushed away from Marco to glare at Robert. “No, you're staying here. It took us days to get you out into the open, so you stay here until we allow you to go back.”

Robert rolled his eyes, but he coldn't hide his grin. “Fine. But if you're interested in a threesome, you could have just asked.”

Mario laughed at that while Marco turned around to look at Robert in feigned shock. “Don't give Mario any ideas. It took me forever to make him stop daydreaming about you.”

Thomas – or rather Robert - felt surprised at that news. “You did what?”

Mario narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend though it didn't look very convincing with the blush raising up from his neck. “I can't help it , he's kind of goodlooking.”

“Thanks,” Robert told him, but when he noticed Marco's furious glare, he figured it was probably to shut up now. He knew it didn't take a lot to make Marco jealous.

The blond had a sour look on his face as he turned away from Mario. “If he's so good-looking, you should just ditch me and ask him to be your boyfriend.”

Mario and Robert shared a look of amusement before the younger man climbed back into Marco's arms. “Come on, don't be angry, I was just joking. You're the only person that I want.”

Thomas felt a smile forming on his lips as he watched Marco's facade crumble rapidly. 

Marco pulled Mario in for a soft kiss. “Yeah, me too. You're the only one that I love.”

Suddenly Thomas was filled with longing. And with it, the voice returned from its slumber.

_Kill them now. Look at how happy they are while we are suffering._

Robert turned away from them to focus on the sun, the nature, anything but them yet he still heard Mario's reply. “Yeah, I hope so. I'd be heartbroken if you fell in love with someone else.”

Marco chuckled at his words. “Don't be ridiculous, I couldn't love someone other than you.”

Mario's only response was a kiss to the tip of Marco's nose. 

And it sent Robert's mind spinning into a mantra of  _Killthem.Killthem.Killthem._

He ignored it despite the pain threatening to split his skull. 

Thomas wasn't aware of sinking to the ground until he felt Robert's hands gripping his shoulders and supporting him. 

When he was finally feeling like himself again, the memory had faded away. Robert was watching him carefully. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” he replied without hesitation. It might be painful and he wasn't sure how much more he could take, but it had taken Robert so long to open up towards him. Thomas wasn't going to back out now that he had finally earned Robert's full trust. “I'm fine, just keep going.”

Robert hesitated for a long moment and Thomas added, “Don't worry, I can take it.”

But Robert shook his head. “It's not you I'm worried about. It's me.” His bright blue eyes focused on Thomas' and it was easy to see the fear in them. “You're about to see the moment that changed all of our lives. The moment I failed and let my friends down.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I initially said something about ONE flashback chapter, then they turned into two. Now they are going to be three. But I just had too much "fun" writing in this memory world, as I call it. So yes, there's going to be a third flashback chapter coming up. :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In you own interest, please DO NOT skip this author's note!!!
> 
> So here it is the promised early update. If you haven't done so already, please stand up and get yourself a box of tissues (to dry your tears) and a sharp object preferably a long knife (to kill me). ;)  
> I was tempted to split this chapter in the middle because it turned out to be thrice as long as I expected, but I promised this would be the last chapter of Memory World and I also figured it might be best to post all the drama in one go. :D  
> Let me just say that I've never written something more sad, more painful, more dramatic, more tragic. I'm sure some of you already know what's going to happen in this chapter, but let me tell you: Writing it was an absolute nightmare.  
> For this chapter I had to edit the tags and if you're easily triggered, you might want to check them out before reading this.  
> I'm aware that you guys are going to be disturbed by what happens and believe me, I felt just the same during the writing process. I hope you won't abandon this story after reading the new chapter because I've been so anxious about your reaction in the last two days that I got stuck in a writer's bock (I still am) and I don't think I can take another backlash. 
> 
> Now enough rambling, "enjoy" your new chapter... :)

 

 

The darkness made way to another memory. This one stood apart from the rest because most of their surroundings were strangely blurred and the only reason Thomas was able to recognize this room as Robert’s was the fact that he had already seen it in some of the previous memories. The other thing setting it apart from the rest was the grayish blue filter, making the scene look even more desolate. 

Robert was lying in the bed, apparently trying to watch TV, but he clearly had a hard time concentrating. He was suffering from another fever and Thomas felt suffocated by the pain loosening his hold on his power.

Mario and Marco were leaning against the headboard as well with Marco in the middle, one arm slung over his boyfriend’s shoulder while the other was stroking Robert’s head soothingly.

The touch made Thomas’ headache worse, but it was too comforting for him to tell Marco to stop. Not that Marco would be able to hear him, but still.

“It’s getting worse,” Marco said without averting his eyes from the screen.

“You being here helps,” Robert argued though his words sounded slurred, probably because of the strong medicine he was taking.

Marco looked like he wanted to protest, but kept quiet when Robert snuggled into his chest.

That drew Mario’s attention as well. “Why do you crave even more warmth when you’re already burning up?”

“Not warmth,” Robert mumbled while closing his eyes. “Power. Being that close to a vessel with a gift tricks my own into thinking that I’m going to take it and fills me with endorphins, I think.”

Marco snorted amused. “Well if you think it helps.” He let go of Mario and put his other arm around Robert as well to pull him even closer. Now they were both entangled and Thomas felt the pain slowly fading into the background while Marco’s scent filled his nose.

Damn, this was so confusing when he was feeling everything, but only watching it from the sideline.

Mario eyed the pair worriedly. “It’s been three weeks since you gained Cristiano’s ability. And it seems like you’re getting worse instead of better.”

Robert looked at him over Marco’s shoulder. “The fever is getting worse, yes. But at least I don’t feel like exploding from too much power anymore.”

Mario nodded and a moment later his face lit up. “Wait a minute. If that fever is the only problem, I might have an idea.”

Marco and Robert turned to him in surprise and the former frowned. “What kind of idea?”

Mario sat up excitedly. “My ability of course. I could try to freeze him, so that his temperature goes down.”

“Like a giant ice pack that never melts,” Robert concluded.

“Exactly.”

Marco looked between them doubtfully. “And you think this will work?”

Robert didn’t look very convinced either, but Mario was already squeezing himself between Robert and Marco impatiently.

Thomas noted a wave of cold anger overcoming him at that and he knew it was Robert’s ability disapproving of the sudden distance from Marco.

“It’s worth a try. Just look at him, he barely has the strength to keep his eyes open. Even if he wanted to hurt me, he wouldn’t be able to fight against both of us.”

Marco didn’t argue but turned to Robert with a warning scowl. “I won’t hesitate as long as I did with Cristiano. If you hurt Mario, I will end you.”

Robert felt strangely calmed by the threat and through the link it transferred to Thomas as well. 

Thomas turned to the side. “Only you could feel good about someone threatening to kill you.”

“I wish he had done it,” Robert answered without regret.

Even though Thomas had heard him say that so many times before, it still broke his heart. “Your death would have been just as tragic as Mario’s.”

But Robert was silent now. His eyes were fixed on the scene in front of him and Thomas felt his cold fear, but it was too fresh to belong to the memory. Robert was afraid of what was going to happen next.

Slowly Thomas reached out and put Robert’s hand into his to squeeze it reassuringly. “I’m here with you. And I won’t leave you, no matter what you’re going to show me.”

Robert tightened his grip on Thomas’ hand. “Thank you.”

They returned their attention back to the scene where Marco had made a bit of room for Mario who had stretched out next to Robert and touched his head gingerly.

A shudder went through Robert’s body as the temperature in the room dropped. Thomas had been prepared for Robert’s power to show some kind of backlash, but nothing of the sort happened.

“How are you doing?” Marco asked Robert nervously.

“Good,” he answered truthfully. “Much better than I expected.”

Mario smiled while continuing to regulate Robert’s body temperature. “See? Everything’s going to be fine.”

The pain was almost gone now and Thomas began to feel sleepy. He watched Robert’s eyelids droop as he relaxed back into the cushions.

Marco frowned. “Mario, what are you doing?”

Mario shook his head still smiling. “Don’t worry, he is just exhausted from fighting the fever. All he needs is a bit of sleep.”

“I’m not talking about him,” Marco responded confused. “I’m talking about me.”

“What are you-?” Mario started, but broke off when he looked over to the blond.

Marco was covered in ice, even more so than Robert.

“I’m not doing that!” Mario told him in a panicked voice.

They both stared at Robert and even Thomas railed back at the malicious smirk he saw in those cold eyes that were wide awake now.

“Marco!” Mario shouted, but the other man couldn’t move by now. He was probably too frozen to even form a coherent thought, even less use his ability.

Robert grabbed Mario’s arms and turned them around so the smaller man was trapped underneath his body.

“Thank you for giving me that wonderful ability.” The tone was gentle but didn’t sound even close to Robert’s usual voice. 

Mario tried to struggle. “Robert, you’re stronger than that. Fight it!”

Robert leaned down until their faces were only inches apart. “Don’t worry. I will cherish what has been yours, I promise.”

And Thomas could feel the power coursing through his veins and there was no way for him to make it stop. He was forced to watch helplessly as ice began to cover Mario’s body and the last bit of color drained from his face. He managed to bring one hand up to Robert’s cheek before he stopped blinking and fully turned into an ice sculpture.

One last cruel smile pulled at the corners of Robert’s lips before all of a sudden the barrier between his conscious and his body vanished and he was himself again.

“No,” he whispered shocked and then his emotions assaulted Thomas with full force. Guilt, shock and pain, so much pain…

Thomas was screaming in unison with Robert and they couldn’t stop until their voices were hoarse. No one of them had been aware of closing their eyes, the image of Mario’s wide and empty eyes branded into their minds.

Yet when they opened their eyes, the whole room had turned into an ice cave and his reflection was staring back at him from every side; judging him for the crime he had just committed.

There was a hard knock on the door and then Lionel’s frightened voice could be heard from the other side. “Robert, what’s going on?” A punch that indicated he was trying to open the door by force but it was no use due to the ice sealing it.

“Robert, open up!”

But Robert couldn’t move. He was just staring down at Mario as though waiting for someone to wake him from this nightmare. He didn’t move even when Lionel and Cristiano had managed to break down the door and the latter was gripping his shoulders and pulling him away from the bed while Lionel was running back to where he had come from and presumably getting something to unfreeze Marco.

Cristiano was talking to Robert, but he couldn’t hear anything, see anything other than a drumming in his head. Then suddenly something foreign entered his mind and he had barely time to recognize it as Cristiano invading his mind before the older man managed to put him to sleep…

Thomas had never been more thankful for a memory to fade away than this one. He was still struggling to cope with the aftermath of Robert’s feelings that had left their imprint on him.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he kept saying over and over even though the words were in vain now.

From Marco he had known everything that had happened yet he realized now that he had known nothing at all.

He reached out for Robert and pulled him into a tight hug, unsure if he wanted to comfort Robert or be comforted by him, but he didn’t care.

When he felt the other man’s body against his own, he inhaled Robert’s scent deeply, letting it wash over his sore senses like the waves of the ocean.

His senseless mumbling stopped when he felt Robert’s lips pressing soft kisses against the side of his head.

“Shh, Thomas, it’s over,” Robert whispered into his ear and it was the voice Thomas had come to love, not the one saying its cruel good-bye to Mario.

Thomas turned towards the voice, his cheek sweeping along Robert’s soft dark hair.

“I’m sorry you had to experience this,” he said one last time before he managed to compose himself again. He waited for the next scene to emerge from the shadows, but nothing happened. “We’re not done yet,” he reminded Robert gently.

“I know. But don’t you want some time to process what’s happened?”

Thomas shook his head. “No, please go on. Giving me time wouldn’t make it better.”

Robert didn’t reply, instead they were standing on green grass now, not far from the spot where Robert had acquired Cristiano’s ability.

Thomas was reminded of the morning after Philipp’s death, because once again there was a group of people – though even smaller than the last time – that had clustered around the concealed body lying in their midst.

Thomas didn’t know if the sharp sting of grief was Robert’s or his own. Probably both. Once again the memory was dipped in lifeless gray and that impression was only amplified by the clouds in the sky and rain pelting down on them mercilessly.

At least Robert hadn’t zapped them to the beginning of the funeral; Thomas wouldn’t have been able to make it through another one so shortly after Philipp.

“Rest in peace, Mario,” Cristiano concluded and handed the torch over to Marco and Robert. “The two of you should do that, he was your friend after all.”

Marco was the first to reach out and take it from him, turning to Robert who had been hesitating.

“Well?” His face was blank, no emotion betraying his real thoughts as Robert reached out for it and his hand closed over Marco’s. For some reason the touch sent a jolt through Robert’s body. Yet there was no pain, no fever, no voices. Only guilt and grief. It didn’t take Thomas long to figure out the reason.

“Marco is suppressing your ability.”

“Yes. Without that precaution I wouldn’t have been able to stand in a group of people. I hadn’t even dealt with Cristiano’s power yet and now I had gained Mario’s as well. I was brimming with too much power.”

Thomas felt gratitude for Marco that he was enabling Robert to attend the funeral. He watched in silence as the two men brought the flame to Mario’s body and ignited it.

The detail of the memory was remarkable. Thomas could feel the rain soaking his clothes, the cold wind blowing through his wet hair and now he was able to smell the pungent stench of burning flesh in the air.

As soon as the flames began to die down, Cristiano and Lionel walked away, probably to give Marco and Robert some space. They both watched the flames licking across Mario’s body for a little while longer. Eventually it was Marco who broke the silence.

“I will never forgive you for this.”

The words hurt like knives slicing his skin.

“I know,” Robert replied with a hollow voice. “I won’t forgive myself either.”

Marco tore his gaze away from Mario to stare intently at Robert. Even from the distance Thomas could see the burning hatred in his eyes.

“You took him away from me. So I’m going to take everything from you.”

Robert closed his eyes and Thomas winced at the renewed wave of guilt washing over him.

“I understand that. But I’m afraid there’s nothing left that you could take away from me. I’ve already lost everything.”

Marco stepped closer until his front was pressing against Robert’s side. “No, not yet. There is still one thing left.” His hands came up to cup Robert’s face gently. “Me.” Thomas felt fear rising inside of him as Marco continued. “You still have one friend left and I’m going to rob you of that too.” His grip tightened and Thomas flinched at the pain caused by the pressure on his – Robert’s –jaw.

Marco smiled but there was nothing remotely warm about it. “I promise I’m going to make your life a living hell. Until you understand how I’m feeling right now.” He let Robert go and turned to walk away. Robert had barely time to grasp the meaning behind his words before all at once his inner wall broke like a dam and he was crushed by the return of his powers.

Thomas was sure he was dying as his vision turned white from the pain and he started screaming again. But instead he must have fallen unconscious because when he opened his eyes again, there was only darkness except for Robert kneeling beside him with a concerned expression. “Are you sure you want to continue this? There are still two memories left that you would need to understand how Marco and I went from friends to whatever we are now.”

“We’ve come so far,” Thomas said with conviction. “I’m not going to backpedal now. And after the last memory I feel like punching Marco’s face in, not really an improvement from before. So show me something - the two of you reconciling, kissing, anything that’s going to make me understand. It can’t get much worse anyway.”

Robert averted his gaze. “If that’s what you want…”

And once again they were standing inside Cristiano’s house, this time a room Thomas had never seen before.

When he spotted Marco lying on top of the covers of the bed, he assumed this must be Marco’s room. However the pictures on the walls told a different story: They were taken with different people except for one man who was in every single one of them. Mario. So it must be his room.

Thomas returned his attention to the person on the bed and he felt a pang of sympathy when he saw that Marco had clutched one of the pillows tightly, his face buried in it as though he was inhaling the traces of Mario’s scent. There were visible tear streaks on his cheeks yet he had stopped crying, probably because he had no more tears left to shed.

“How long has it been since Mario died?” he asked Robert quietly.

“Four days.”

Belatedly Thomas realized that Robert must be here somewhere, after all he wouldn’t be able to show him this if he hadn’t been in the scene. He turned around and there Robert was, standing at the door, hidden by the shadows. He was only wearing a pair of pajama trousers and only then did Thomas notice that it was nighttime.

Robert was watching Marco silently and when Thomas looked over to the bed, he couldn’t tell for sure whether Marco hadn’t noticed Robert yet or he was just ignoring him.

Very slowly Robert approached the bed and when he was only a few steps away, Marco’s body tensed.

“Leave me alone,” Marco said and even though he wasn’t shouting, his voice felt like a whip lash to Thomas. To Robert.

Robert stopped, but otherwise made no move to retreat. “You’ve been in here for three days and nights.”

Marco didn’t deny it, but his expression darkened as he lifted his face from the pillow and glared at Robert angrily. “Leave now before you will regret it!”

Thomas wasn’t surprised when Robert did the exact opposite and took another step forward instead. “What do you want to do?” Robert asked and there was something desperate in his voice that Thomas had never heard before. “Hit me? Hurt me? If it makes you feel better, even just a little bit, go on, do it!”

Thomas felt his heartbeat speeding up in anxiety and this time, it was not because Robert was feeling this way. No, Robert appeared almost calm, too calm.

Marco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Leave. I’m not going to repeat myself again.”

“I can’t. Not without finding a way to help you.”

Thomas had expected Marco to snap. Perhaps punch Robert into the face. Some kind of sudden outburst. It would have been better than what actually happened.

Slowly Marco got up from the bed and turned until he was standing right in front of Robert, too close for comfort.

“You want to help me?” he asked and his voice was scarily gentle.

“Yes,” Robert answered though he sounded confused by the other man’s strange behavior.

Marco’s hand came up to Robert’s cheek and his index finger traced along his jawbone lightly. “You want to make me feel better?”

Robert nodded though Thomas could feel that now his heart was racing in fear as well.

Marco’s hand stilled at Robert’s chin before eventually moving to his throat. “You want me to hurt you?”

Thomas wanted Robert so much to protest, to turn away and get out of this room and away from Marco. But nothing like that happened.

“If that’s what you want.”

Marco’s lips curved up into a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He tightened his grip around Robert’s throat, not hard enough to choke the taller man but enough to pull him closer until Marco’s lips were touching his ear. “Of course I want to.”

Robert didn’t have enough time to feel fear when Marco pushed him onto the bed and pressed him down with both hands around Robert’s throat now.

“I want you to suffer!” His calmness was gone, Marco was finally shouting.

Robert didn’t respond and only stared up at the other man with wide eyes.

Marco’s fingers tightened even more and now he was indeed cutting off Robert’s air supply.

Thomas waited for Robert to struggle, to put up a fight and so did Marco. But Robert just lay there and let it happen silently.

Marco’s face twisted in anger. “Do you want me to kill you? Come on, fight back!”

Robert hands came up to Marco’s fingers and he tried to pry them off, but it was less because of Robert actually wanting to fight and more an instinctive reaction of his body to running out of air.

It didn’t escape Marco’s attention as well. “Jesus Christ, Robert! Fight back!” he screamed and he sounded desperate now.

Robert’s body began to shake and Thomas felt panic coursing through him because he couldn’t breathe. He was dying. HE COULDN’T BREATHE.

And suddenly the pressure on his throat was gone and his empty lungs were flooded by air so fast that it burned like acid.

Robert coughed several times as his body tried to cope with returning from panicking and almost dying to functioning normally again.

Marco was still straddling Robert’s hips, but he had leaned back, hands placed on his thighs. He looked frustrated. “What is wrong with you, Robert?”

Robert tried to regulate his coughing before responding to him. “I told you, I’d do anything as long as it eases your pain.”

“Eases my pain?” Marco repeated furiously. “I was going to kill you! A part of me still wants to!”

Robert’s reply stunned both Marco and Thomas. “I knew that even before you did yourself. I didn’t enter this room expecting you to be in a talkative mood, I’m not that stupid.”

Marco stared down at him in bewilderment. “You knew I was going to lash out at you? And you still came in?” His face hardened again. “Do you have a serious death wish?!”

Robert shrugged. “I’m responsible for Mario’s death as well as your misery. Of course I want to die.”

That admission felt like a slap to Thomas’ face.

Marco glared down at Robert. “Then why don’t you just take a knife and kill yourself?”

His words and his cold tone made Thomas want to go for him; the only thing holding him back was the fact that he wanted to hear Robert’s answer.

“If I did that and died, I would abandon you. I couldn’t possibly do that, not after having taken your love from you already.”

He seemed to have said the wrong thing. 

“Do you seriously think your death would hurt me? Do you think I can still have one ounce of care for you after what you did?”

His fist connected with Robert’s face before Thomas had even noticed that Marco’s hand had moved at all. He winced at the burst of pain, but forced himself to watch Robert and Marco.

Robert’s nose was bleeding and the unexpected punch must have disorientated him because his eyes flicked around before being able to refocus on Marco.

He spat out a mouth full of blood before responding. “Then go on, kill me.”

For one terrifying second Thomas thought Marco would do exactly that. Maybe Robert had thought so too, because he and Thomas were both not prepared for what happened instead.

Marco placed his hands to either side of Robert’s head and leaned down until his body was aligned with Robert’s. “I told you I would take everything from you. You should have listened to me.” He supported himself on his left hand while his right one wandered to the waistband of his own trousers.

Robert’s eyes widened and finally Thomas felt him starting to panic. “Marco, what are you doing?”

“I told you I want to take everything from you, including me. I want to see the look in your eyes when you realize that the Marco you could call your friend is gone.”

He took his time in pulling the trousers down over his legs. “You can still run, you know. A little part of me even wants you to.”

Thomas agreed with that part.  _Please, Robert, run!_

Marco kicked the trousers away with his foot before doing the same with his underwear, leaving him entirely naked. “But something tells me you won’t.” He pulled off Robert’s clothing with the same frightening care. “Because you still see me as your friend, right?” His cold smile vanished. “But tell me, Robert, could a friend do  _this_ ?”

And he rolled his hips against Robert’s as he leaned down to kiss the side of Robert’s neck. But it wasn’t a kiss. His lips touched Robert’s skin softly for one moment, then they opened and he bit down hard.

Robert bucked up at the unexpected pain and a yelp escaped him. Marco pulled back and even from this distance Thomas could see the imprint of his teeth on Robert’s neck. “If you stay here, I  _am_ going to hurt you in every way possible.”

He waited for Robert’s reply and Thomas knew it was the latter’s last option to save himself from what was looming over their heads.

He was praying for Robert to take that chance. But God wasn’t listening…

Robert’s voice was trembling but full of conviction. “There is nothing you could to me that would make me turn my back on you. Absolutely nothing.”

He could as well have signed his own death warrant.

Marco looked at Robert for so long that Thomas was starting to hope he might backpedal, even though he knew he was clutching any straw at this point.

“Turn around,” Marco ordered calmly.

And Robert obeyed without another word. He turned under Marco’s body and got up onto his knees, not even flinching when Marco wrapped one of his arms around his stomach from behind.

Thomas shook his head in denial when he felt Robert’s resignation through the link. “No, please.” But the memory didn’t stop yet he felt his connection to Robert’s feelings slipping. It took him a moment to realize that Robert wanted to save him  _that_ kind of pain.

He watched in growing horror while Marco was stroking himself with the other hand and pulling Robert further up until the taller man’s back was flush against his own front. “I want you to realize just how gone your friend is.”

And without any kind of preparation Marco pushed in.

Robert must have mentally steeled himself for this, nevertheless the pain had to be excruciating. Robert screamed and tried to lean forward, probably to curl into himself, but Marco’s grip allowed no moving away.

“Does it hurt?” Marco asked, but his voice sounded torn, both cruel and regretful.

Instead of waiting for an answer or at least giving Robert’s body time to adjust to the sudden intrusion, he sank in deeper. Robert’s screaming turned into a long whine as his body tried to reject Marco which only intensified the pain.

Thomas could see a tear rolling down Marco’s cheek, but he didn’t stop until he was buried to the hilt. Robert was trembling now and he was crying as well, yet he tried to stay on his knees while Marco took a few deep breaths.

“Please, Robert, tell me to stop,” Marco begged and for one moment he sounded like the man Thomas knew; the one that wouldn’t let any harm come to Robert.

“I said I wanted to help you,” Robert managed to say. “If taking revenge and hurting me is the only way, then I’m going to take it.”

Marco bit his lip and another tear dropped down from his face. “Why won’t you just hate me?”

“I can’t,” Robert answered and turned his head to put a kiss to Marco’s jaw. “Not when I’m responsible for breaking you.” He leaned forward until his hands were on the bed as well and he was on all fours. Since Marco was still inside of him, he had no choice but to follow and drape himself over Robert’s back if he didn’t want to hurt him even further.

“Go on,” Robert said with a hollow voice. “It’s your turn now. Break me.”

Marco hesitated but eventually closed his eyes in defeat. “You killed Mario. I can never forgive you for that. Even if I want to.”

He snapped his hips forward and a new scream of pain escaped Robert’s lips. This time Marco didn’t stop and Robert took each thrust without another reaction except for his fists clutching the sheet underneath him. After a few more torturing minutes they fell into a slow rhythm.

When the scene finally faded away, Thomas wished he could just die. He hadn’t been prepared for this kind of memory and now he wished that his initial fear – that Robert might love Marco more than him – had turned out to be true. It wouldn’t have hurt as much as the truth…

“Thomas?” Robert asked.

When Thomas looked at him, all of his pent-up fury erupted like a storm. “Get me out of here! I’m going to kill him with my own hands!”

“Thomas, calm down! He wasn’t-”

But Thomas wasn’t listening. He wanted to kill Marco slowly for what he had done to Robert. “I don’t care! Get me out, please!”

His voice sounded so strange and was wavering. A second later Thomas found out why: He was crying. Robert pulled him into another hug, but this time it didn’t soothe Thomas at all. Nevertheless he gripped Robert and pulled him closer, needing to confirm that Robert was here with him and Marco hadn’t managed to break him entirely.

“Please tell me this was the only time you let him do that to you. That you told Leo and Cristiano.”

Robert stroked down his back slowly. “It was our secret. Leo had already left us and Cristiano didn’t find out about us until much later.”

So it hadn’t been a one-time thing. “How much later?”

Two weeks? A month? Thomas didn’t want to imagine how often Marco must have had-

“Ten months.”

Thomas whimpered. “God, Robert…”

“It hasn’t always been like that,” Robert said and it made Thomas furious that he was still defending Marco. “Those ten months were characterized by violence. Marco had convinced himself that there was nothing of the real me left and he was looking at the monster that smiled as it killed his lover.”

“And Cristiano didn’t notice anything in those months?” Thomas asked disbelievingly.

“One of the two people he had sworn to protect had been murdered and Leo had left. Cristiano wasn’t really here anymore; he was lost in his own head.”

“You mean in his memories?”

Robert nodded. “Yes. Not completely, he knew we needed him now more than ever. He must have assumed Marco and I would stick together. It must seem irresponsible to you but he was convinced we would tell him if something was the matter. But neither of us did and so he spent his days either in his own head or walking around the estate, waiting for Leo to come back.” 

Thomas let that sink in for a while before asking, “You said it’s been like that for ten months. After that something changed?”

“Yes, it did,” Robert replied quietly. “You may have noticed that nowadays Marco feels very different about me.”

Thomas indeed remembered multiple scenes where Marco had been very overprotective of Robert. Marco’s panicked expression after Sergio had shot Robert’s leg was the most recent one.

“What happened that changed his mind about you?”

“I’m not entirely sure. I guess there had always been a part of him that still cared about me and that part grew stronger once he began to realize that the real me was the one he was hurting.”

Thomas gritted his teeth in anger. “And he only realized that after ten months.”

Robert shook his head. “I think he already realized it during the very first time. You heard him; he wanted me to tell him to stop. And I’m certain he would have done so and nothing of the sort would have happened again. But I let him continue his revenge and instead he persuaded himself that the reason for my surrender was the fact that I deserved to be punished; that I was indeed a monster. I was easier for him to tell himself that he was punishing a monster than facing the fact that he was raping his best friend.”

Thomas felt another wave of nausea rising inside of him. “Why didn’t you tell him to stop? Why did you let him do that without protest?”

But he already knew the answer. “Because I wanted Marco to punish me. It may sound disgusting and horrible to you, but I wanted him to hurt me for killing Mario. I didn’t expect him to rape me, but after the first few times, I was starting to look forward to those nights. I told you previously that Marco made me feel alive.”

Thomas couldn’t respond right away. He needed a bit of time to compose himself, because all he wanted to do was killing Marco and making him suffer. Then he noticed that Robert hadn’t actually answered the initial question. “But what  _exactly_ changed after ten months?”

“The nightmares became worse, much worse. They had always made Marco vulnerable, but up to then he dealt with them on his own. Whenever I had come to comfort him, he had pushed me away. But that night, he let me help him for the first time. It was also the first time since Mario had died that we treated each other like friends again. And that’s when he finally found the courage to admit to himself that he had been hurting me not the monster.”

And they were thrown into the last memory.

Robert had once again linked his emotions to Thomas and the younger man was so used to it by now that he almost welcomed the rush of panic that didn’t belong to him. This time they weren’t standing on a fixed spot but the Robert from the memory – wearing plaid pajama trousers and a black T-shirt – was running through a dark corridor and therefore pulling Thomas and Robert with him.

Thomas noticed with anger that Robert’s movements were stilted and he was limping visibly. He tried to focus on the scene, briefly wondering what had Robert running like that in the middle of the night. Then he heard a high-pierced scream and remembered. Marco’s nightmares.

Robert sped up his pace at the sound and barged through the door into Marco’s room. The blond was lying on the bed, covers thrown to the ground and he was twisting and turning, clearly still trapped in his nightmare.

“No, please…” he mumbled and threw his head to the other side. “I didn’t want to, please, I’m sorry…”

Robert crossed the room quickly and climbed onto the bed, gripping Marco’s shoulder softly.

“Wake up, Marco! It’s just a dream!”

But Marco only trashed harder, his eyes pressed tightly together. “No, I didn’t mean to-“

“Marco!” Robert exclaimed firmly and this time Marco’s eyes snapped open. He froze when he found himself only inches away from Robert’s face.

“You’re here,” he breathed and he sounded surprised.

Robert frowned in confusion. “Where else would I be?”

He flinched when Marco leaned forward and pulled him into a crushing embrace. “I killed you.” A shudder went through his body and he buried his nose in Robert’s neck. Thomas felt a pang of fear and only realized it was one of Robert’s emotions when he saw that Robert had tensed as though he was expecting pain. Like teeth biting into his skin… But when nothing of the sort had happened after half a minute, Robert finally began to relax. Thomas heart sank as he began to understand that between this memory and the last lay ten months of violence. Ten months during which every intimate touch he had received from Marco, had been accompanied by physical pain.

Marco’s body slowly ceased its trembling. “In my dream. I killed you, I had your blood on my hands. Mario was there and he wouldn’t look at me because I had killed you.”

Robert raised his hand to the back of Marco’s hand. “I’m here, Marco, it was only a bad dream. Look, you didn’t kill me, I’m fine.”

Marco stilled instantly. Slowly he pulled back to meet Robert’s eyes. “Fine? Robert, look at yourself, I’ve been abusing you for months. You are far from fine!” He sounded deeply upset. Before Robert could respond, a shocked expression crossed Marco’s face. “That monster never felt anything of what I did to your body, did it? It’s always been you that I raped, hasn’t it?”

Robert sighed. “Yes, I’ve always been there. The monster has never been in here with me ever since you started suppressing my powers.”

Marco’s eyes widened. “Then why did you let me do this to you?! Why did you take everything without protesting once?”

Robert shrugged. “I killed Mario,” he replied as though that explained everything.

Marco closed his eyes, but not fast enough to hide the tears in them. “I miss him. I miss him so damn much!”

Robert looked lost as though he wanted to comfort Marco but didn’t know how. What he did then shocked Thomas to the core. He grabbed the pillow Marco had been sleeping on and placed it in front of himself before getting up from the bed and pulling the T-shirt over his body, revealing his battered and bruised upper body. Thomas wanted to cry as he took in dozens of bruises in various stages of progress, old ones colored in yellow or green as well as new ones in black and blue.

“What are you doing?” Marco asked as he watched Robert stripping off his trousers.

Robert didn’t answer. Instead he climbed back onto the bed and placed the pillow under his chin as though he wanted to bury his face in it. His lower body was on his knees, presenting his ass. “Go on. Just go a bit slower, please, I’m still not healed from last night.”

Marco continued staring at him. “Robert, I can’t keep doing that. I justified it by telling myself that the Robert I had called my friend was gone. That it was the monster responsible for Mario’s death that I was punishing. Instead it’s been you all along.” 

His refusal seemed to confuse Robert more than anything else. He looked at Marco with fear in his eyes. “It’s not helping anymore?”

“Helping?” Marco repeated.

“You hurting me took the edge off your anger, your pain,” Robert explained. He looked at Marco’s face carefully. “You’re upset now. So you should hurt me, it’s going to make you feel better.”

Thomas wasn’t sure whether the pained wince was coming from himself or Marco.

“Robert, did you hear anything of what I just said? I can’t keep hurting you.”

Robert looked like he had been slapped in the face. “You’re getting tired of me?”

The level of shock on Marco’s face rivaled Robert’s now. “Robert, this has never been about me enjoying hurting you.”

“But you did enjoy it,” Robert replied slowly. He didn’t sound accusing at all, only irritated. “You said so whenever I was screaming in pain.”

Marco closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Robert, I’m so sorry.”

Finally Robert sat back on his heels and fully turned towards Marco. “Why are you sorry?”

“Because I hurt you of course.”

“Then why did you hurt me if it makes you feel sorry now?” Robert retorted and he sounded like he had actually no idea.

“I needed to lash out at someone; to get rid of the pain suffocating me.” It was like he had somehow flipped a switch. Robert froze and then he lay down on his back and looked up at Marco expectantly.

“Robert? What’s wrong?” Marco asked worriedly.

But Robert didn’t respond or move at all. It was like he was waiting for something. Belatedly Thomas noticed something else, just in the same moment as Marco apparently because the blond’s eyes widened in horror. “Robert, why aren’t you breathing?!”

Robert was indeed not breathing, he just lay there waiting.

“Robert!” Marco shouted as Robert’s body began to tremble from the lack of oxygen and his face was starting to turn blue.

For the first time since entering this memory, Thomas turned to the present Robert behind him. “What’s happening to you?”

Robert watched the scene with an unreadable expression. “Marco used to choke me during sex. He always told me he was going to let me suffocate. I guess the word has become some kind of trigger.”

Thomas returned his attention to the scene.

Marco was shaking Robert’s shoulders as hard as possible, repeating Robert’s name over and over in a panicked tone.

“No, Robert, please! You can’t leave me, please don’t!”

One of his teardrops landed on Robert’s face and it was like the ban had been lifted. Robert took a deep breath, then he frowned. He brought up his hand to touch the droplet of water on his cheek as though it wasn’t supposed to be there.

“You’re crying,” he deducted disbelievingly. “Why are you crying?”

His innocent tone made Marco cry only harder. “Robert, I’m sorry.”

Robert blinked once, twice then he raised his hand from his own cheek to Marco’s as though he wanted to confirm that the tear was indeed Marco’s. It was a strangely childlike gesture. “You’ve never cried when we did this. What am I supposed to do now?”

“Please, Robert, just get away from me, I don’t want to keep hurting you.” Marco retreated to the edge of the bed, turning his back to Robert as he wept silently. For a whole minute Robert remained lying on his back, seemingly waiting for some kind of guidance from Marco, maybe even a change of heart. When nothing like that happened, he sat up slowly and turned his eyes towards Marco. The fear was back in them. “You’re sending me away?”

But Marco didn’t respond anymore. Perhaps he had realized that their conversation was going round in circles and Robert was in no condition to talk reasonably about this.

Eventually Robert got up from the bed and began walking to the door slowly. The moment his hand touched the handle, his expression changed completely. A moment ago he had been scared and confused, now there was determination as he turned back to Marco. 

“Do you actually want me to leave?” His voice was back to his usual self, Thomas realized in relief. It was short-lived when he saw that Robert began to walk back towards the bed though he only sat down at Marco’s side this time.

This time it was Marco’s turn to frown. “What are you doing, Robert? I told you I can’t do this any longer.”

“That’s not the reason why I’m staying,” Robert replied softly.

Marco raised his head to meet his gaze. “Then what is?”

Robert hesitated for a short moment, then he leaned forward until his lips touched Marco’s softly. Marco railed back in shock. “Robert?”

Robert smiled gently. “Did you ever ask yourself why I stayed the very first night? Why I didn't leave even though you gave me the chance multiple times?”

Marco was silent. He had wondered probably, but he hadn't really cared to find out.

Robert raised his hand to Marco's face, stroking it tenderly. “I told you I deserved to be punished, I still think that. Being responsible for Mario's death broke me. But do you know what broke me just as much?”

Marco shook his head, waiting for the answer with his breath hold and Thomas did the same. He didn’t know what to make of the warm feeling in his chest; a new emotion from Robert that drowned out his earlier fear. 

Robert leaned closer again until his face was only inches away from Marco's. “Knowing that I broke you too. That I am responsible for the most tragic thing that's ever happened to you. That I took your joy, your smile away.”

Marco swallowed hard at that admission. He looked uncertain as well as guilty. “I don't understand. What does that have to do with you kissing me just now?”

Robert's smile widened, but it was filled with sadness. “Do you really want me to say it? Fine.” His hand at the side of Marco's face dropped to his neck, the index finger stroking over his pulse point tenderly. “That's how our first night should have started if circumstances had been different and you hadn't been with Mario already.”

If Thomas wasn’t linked to Robert, he would have been flabbergasted. Because he got what Robert was trying to say; what that fondness he was feeling meant…

“That's what you expected me to do that night?” Marco asked regretfully.

“No, of course not. I told you I was prepared for you to lash out at me even though I could have never anticipated what actually happened. But it's what I've been thinking later, at those times that I wondered if you only slept with me to hurt me or if we had also got together one day if Mario was still alive.”

Marco froze. “Robert, you and me are not together. I'm abusing you – hell, I'm raping you on a constant basis. That's so not what a relationship should be!”

Robert hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, I know. That's also a reason why I kissed you.” When he saw the look of confusion in Marco's eyes, he added, “Don't you think it's time to steer this relationship into the right direction? Where we're not hurting but healing each other?”

For the first time since they had entered Robert’s memories, Thomas could begin to see how these two broken men had gone from friends to loving each other. It was entirely wrong, it was destructive and doomed to end in tragedy, but a very small part of Thomas began to understand.

Marco held his breath, disbelief written over his face. “You can't want me. Not after what I did to you.”

“I know how wrong this is, I really do. And I can't deny that there's always going to be a part of me that will be afraid of you. But leaving was never an option. Not as long as the real Marco was still in this body.”

“The real Marco?”

“Don't you remember what you told me right before the very first time? That you wanted to see the look in my eyes when I realized that the Marco I had called my friend was gone? I almost believed you, at least until you told me all I had to say was 'Stop'. That's when I knew that my friend was still in there somewhere. And every time you raped me in those ten months, I clung to the hope that I would see you again. That the real Marco would return and tell me that he still cared about me, even though I had taken Mario from him, even though his life had been shattered to pieces.”

After that admission it was silent for a very long time. Then another tear dropped from Marco's cheek, but this one was different. It wasn't one of pain or sadness but salvation. “You love me,” he concluded and his voice broke at those three words as though he couldn't believe them. 

“Yes, I do,” Robert whispered. “And I know that you loved Mario; that you will never be able to love me as much as you loved him. All I'm asking is that you will try to love me, even just a little bit.”

Thomas wanted to scream at him that he was wrong, that he couldn’t love the man who raped him. But there was no denying that warm feeling in his chest that made him want to reach out for Marco and never let go.

Slowly Marco raised his hand to mirror Robert's position. “If that's what you want.”

It was like his words had ignited something in Robert's eyes, a sparkle of life that hadn't been there before. “Come on, Marco. Love me.”

Marco obeyed instantly. Their lips finally met and they opened their mouths to let the other in. Thomas couldn’t tear his eyes away; he watched them and let the fire of Robert’s desire burn through him, feeding the warmth in his chest.

Robert let himself fall back into the cushions of the bed without letting go of Marco's face which resulted in Marco being pulled along until he was lying on top of Robert's naked body. Marco deepened the passionate kiss while his free hand grabbed Robert's thigh and pulled it up over his leg.

A flicker of fear coursed through Thomas’ body – an instinctive reaction of Robert to Marco’s touch – but it vanished when it wasn’t followed by pain. 

Marco broke the kiss to look down at Robert. “I’m sorry. I know I will never be able to make it up to you but I want to try.”  
His words stirred something inside Thomas and he felt tears glistening in his own eyes. He jumped in surprise when he felt Robert –  _his_ Robert – touching his shoulder softly. “Are you alright, Thomas?” He sounded like he expected Thomas to be disgusted by the memory and perhaps he should be. Perhaps he should judge them and tell Robert that this love was twisted, that it would be for the best if Robert pushed Marco away. Maybe it would indeed be the right thing to do.

But Thomas couldn’t tell him that. Because there was real love underneath the pain, the hurt, the violence. Robert had loved Marco all along and that’s why he had stayed.

“Thomas?” Robert asked worriedly.

Thomas looked from the strong man in front of him to the broken man on the bed, wondering how Robert could be here with him now. “You love him.” He knew he was stating the obvious, but to him it was a devastating discovery. Because… “I thought you loved me.”

Robert gave him a smile that was both fond and sad. “You’re right about that, I love you.” Thomas tried to ignore what Robert’s words did to him, how deeply they affected him, because they couldn’t be true. Not when he was watching Robert and Marco moving in unison on the bed; Marco’s now naked form grinding against Robert underneath him.

Robert must have seen the doubt in his eyes because he cupped Thomas’ face gently. “I’m not going to lie to you. I will never stop loving Marco. For a long time we only had each other and trying my best to heal his wounds was the only reason for me to go on with my life.” 

Thomas couldn’t help but lean into the comforting touch. “If you love him, why did you leave him?” 

“I just told you,” Robert replied patiently. “My reason for living was to heal his wounds. When Leo contacted me and told me he needed me to stop Iker, Marco hadn’t suffered from a panic attack for six months. He was ready to start a new chapter in his life and I realized that I couldn’t be part of it.”

“Why not?” Thomas asked.

“Because everything that had happened between us was only because of Mario. He raped me because he missed Mario and later he made love to me because he wanted to make it up to me. I’m not saying that he doesn’t love me – he wouldn’t have searched for me if he didn’t – but I’m not the person he would want to spend the rest of his life with. He deserves better, someone who can make him smile again.”

They both fell silent after that.

Thomas watched the two men on the bed, noting the similarities and more significantly the differences between this memory and the last.  The most obvious one was the two of them kissing, something that hadn't happened at all in the previous scene – and keeping Robert's words in mind Thomas doubted that it had happened later on. Now though their lips kept chasing the other man's hungrily and whenever they found each other, their kiss was so passionate that it was hard to tell where one body ended and the other began.

Marco's hips gave an involuntary snap as he struggled to suppress his desire for any longer. Robert froze for the tiniest moment and Thomas felt his insides  clench in response to Robert's fear. He was still giving Marco a reassuring smile before turning onto his stomach. “Don't worry, I'm fine, just go slow please.”

Marco hesitated for a moment before doing something that surprised both Robert and Thomas. He reached out for Robert's shoulders and made him move back onto his back. “No, please stay like this. I want to look at you when we do this.”

Robert nodded his consent and watched with a mix of anxiety and pleasant anticipation as Marco moved back and his fingers touched Robert's ass  insecurely as though he wasn't sure how to proceed.

Robert jumped at the intimate touch and when Thomas felt his pain, he remembered something.

_...Just go a bit slower, please, I’m still not healed from last night.... _

Thomas's fury began to return at that yet he forced himself to keep on watching.

Marco frowned. “Are you sure you want to do this? Your body should recover first.”

“No!” Robert answered more firmly than Thomas had expected. His gaze softened immediately after. “It may sound insane, but I need the pain now. Just to feel that it's a different one than before.”

Marco didn't say anything, but his fingers began to circle Robert's abused hole lightly. “It's been forever that I prepared someone for sex.”

“Yeah, I know,” Robert responded with a nervous smirk, but it vanished when Marco pushed his index finger into him. 

Thomas jerked at the burst of both pain and pleasure coursing through him and he let himself lean against Robert who had grabbed his arms to support him. He found blue eyes watching him carefully. “Do you understand what I've been trying to show you with this last memory?”

For one last time Thomas looked back to the two men, watching Marco lean down to capture Robert's lips in another while sliding a second finger into Robert whose eyes closed in pleasure...

„Yes, I think I do.” Thomas was still mad at Marco and he would never forgive him for what he did to Robert, but yes, he had got what Robert was trying to tell him. “Marco needed you to heal him. And you let him do with you as he pleased because you believed that your friend was still in there.”

“Yes,” Robert agreed. “I didn't tell anyone about what happened, not even Cristiano. When I ran away to search for Leo, I wrote him a letter. I was afraid that my sudden disappearance would prompt Marco to fall back into his depression and I wanted Cristiano to be prepared. So I confessed that I had been sleeping with Marco after Mario's death.”

Now Cristiano's hatred towards Robert was starting to make sense. “And he thought that you only took advantage of Marco's grief.”

“It wouldn't have mattered if I had found Leo in time, but Cristiano was smarter than I expected. He used his position as a high-ranking agent of Iker to track me and that's when you came into the picture.”

Thomas shook his head in disbelief. “That accident on the bridge feel so distant now as though it belonged into another life. So much has happened since I pulled you out of the water.”

Robert's hold on him tightened. “It's time to return to that world. We've been in here so long that I can barely feel my connection to reality anymore.”

“Yes, we should go back,” Thomas said quietly and he felt Robert cut the link between their emotions. His fury at Marco was back but the last memory including Robert's emotions had changed something inside of him.

And when he felt Robert using his power to pull them back to the surface, a resolution formed in his mind.

Marco was Robert's past. Thomas intended to be his future.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I'm back with an update after almost three weeks.  
> I'm sorry for the long wait, but as most of you may have noticed, my imagination was going nuts. ;)  
> We're back to the usual pre-Memory World lengths and there's not very much happening in this one, but after what we saw in Robert's mind, I didn't feel like going back to "Rescuing Cristiano and stopping Iker" just yet.

 

  
It felt surreal to open his eyes when Thomas could not remember having closed them in the first place. He hadn't been sleeping yet his body was aching as though he had been lying in the bed for too long, his mind sleepy and demanding more rest. So Thomas closed his eyes again and wanted to turn to the side, closer to the calming warmth beside him.

But his peacefulness was disrupted by someone grabbing his shoulder from the other side and a concerned voice calling his name. “Thomas?”

He knew that voice, but he was too tired to place it. He could hear excited murmurs in the background and turned his head to hide his face behind the warm body.

“Thomas, can you hear me? Please wake up!” The voice was too loud and shrill for his liking and he grimaced, just when the hand on his shoulder – which probably belonged to the voice – shook him harder. “Please come back and open your eyes!”

Come back? He hadn't been gone, he had just-

Then Thomas remembered and he was wide awake instantly. He jolted up from the bed at the same time that he realized who the voice belonged to. His sudden movement almost made him collide with the person leaning over him. Marco.

And as the memories of Marco abusing Robert returned to Thomas, his fury flared up like a wildfire and before he could have stopped himself, he had tackled the other man so hard that they both fell from the bed. Marco yelped in pain as he landed on his back, Thomas pinning him to the ground. “Thomas, stop it! What are you-”

Thomas cut off him off with a hard blow to his face. The sound of bones breaking and the sight of his now aching fist covered in bright red blood did little to lessen his anger. “I'm going to kill you!” he spat out and tried to make another swipe at the man underneath him, but he felt various arms grabbing him from behind and hauling him off Marco.

“Stop it, Thomas!” Manuel shouted at him while trying to block his view on Miroslav and Bastian who had crouched down beside Marco.

Thomas ignored him and tried to rid himself of Manuel's and what were presumably Lionel's arms. “Let me through, Manu! I need to hurt him!” He was barely aware that he was hitting against Manuel's broad chest and that Lionel was talking to him placantly. All he could see was the man who had inflicted so much pain on Robert. But eventually Lionel's words made it through to him.

“Thomas, I need you to calm down and tell me what happened. Why is Robert not waking up?” Thomas froze instantly and his head whipped back to the bed. Robert was still lying on top of it despite the little fight that had been going on just now. Worry overtook his anger and he returned to the figure on the bed, noting the steady rhythm of Robert's breathing and then sitting down at his side.

“Robert?”

The older man didn't even stir and it took him a moment to remember Robert's warning before they had entered his memories.

_...Some memories feel more real than the present. It may be tempting for me to stay in that place; to relive those moments again and again..._

_...Don't let me lose myself in there..._

“No, Robert, please!” He grabbed the other man's shoulders hard, shaking him, calling out to him, but he received no answer, not even a wince.

Thomas stared wide-eyed at the man in his arms and only noticed that the others had surrounded him when Manuel approached him carefully. “What happened? You've been out for so long and no matter what we did, we couldn't get you two to wake up. You were freaking us out.”

It took another long moment for Thomas to make sense of Manuel's words because his entire being was focused on Robert and his attention was drawn to the man who was hesitantly hovering at the other side of the bed with one hand pressed to his bloody nose.

“Memories,” was Thomas' clipped answer and he hoped Manuel would get the hint and let it go for now. He scanned Marco's face for a reaction and indeed, Marco paled visibly; fear and guilt crystal clear in his eyes.

His eyes flickered down to Robert then to Thomas' arms that were holding the unconscious man tightly.

“Do you want me to leave?” he asked and it sounded like it took him a lot of effort to give Thomas that option.

Thomas' first impulse was to say yes, to send Marco away for all the horrible things he had done to Robert. However he found that he couldn't. He couldn't send Marco away because he was important to Robert.

“No, I need you to stay,” Thomas replied quietly. He turned to Manuel who was still standing next to him. “Can you guys give us a minute?”

They must have so many questions as to what had happened in those memories and what was wrong with Robert. But Manuel only nodded before walking to the door; Lionel, Bastian and Miroslav following him eventually.  
As soon as it closed behind them, Thomas turned to Marco. “You need to get him out of there.”

Marco seemed to be surprised; he had probably anticipated that Thomas would address what he had seen. Thomas would do that, but first he needed to get Robert out of his own head.

“You need to neutralize his powers.”

Marco nodded and came to stand beside Thomas. “I will try. But I don’t know if I can do it.” He put his hand on Robert’s chest and closed his eyes. Thomas had to wait for almost a minute before Marco opened them again, looking panicked. “I can’t break through.”

“What do you mean you can’t break through?”

“Usually I build a barrier inside of someone’s mind to isolate his power but Robert’s mind is hidden inside something like a cocoon. He must have shut himself off while he was reliving those memories; that would explain why we couldn’t wake him up.”

That sounded logical except for one little thing. “But you couldn’t wake me up either, so my mind must have been in a similar state. Why did I wake up then?”

Marco bit his lip anxiously. “Robert was the one creating this cocoon, so it must have extended from his mind to yours. When he pushed you out, he was too hesitant or too exhausted to go with you.”

So he was still trapped inside of his own memories. Thomas looked down at the body in his arms, his mind racing as he tried to think of something. His eyes focused on Marco’s hand that was still resting on Robert’s chest. It reminded him of the way he had tried to heal Robert when they had found him in Iker’s house.  
“Do you think you could break through to him if you had more power?” he asked tentatively.

Marco shrugged helplessly. “Maybe. But it’s not like there is a way to power me up.”

“I might have an idea,” Thomas retorted. Without another word he put his own hand to Marco’s chest, causing the blond to flinch as though he was expecting Thomas to hit him again.

For the first time since waking up Thomas could see beyond his fury at Marco and his worry about Robert. For the first time he was able to see Marco’s bruised face covered in blood acknowledge that he must be in considerable pain. Pain that was most likely not helping with focusing all of his power on Robert.  
“Lie down on your back,” he ordered in a calm tone.

Marco tensed even further at that request, but he obeyed and leaned back. Begrudgingly Thomas let Robert’s body slide back onto the bed, then he placed his knees at either side of Marco’s legs, feeling the other man’s heartbeat speed up in what was presumably fear.  
“Relax, I’m not going to hurt you.”  
He barely had time to notice the surprise on Marco’s face before he let his conscious drift.

Marco’s life energy was flowing mostly strong and calm like it was supposed to be except for the messy ramifications located at his head. When Thomas touched that part, the energy flared up briefly as though Marco was trying to reject him. Perhaps Thomas should have told him prior what he was trying to do. Nevertheless Marco’s resistance deflated rapidly and very carefully Thomas focused on trying to rearrange the chaotic stream. Thanks to his recent training it was easier than he had expected though it might also have to do with the wound being fresh. When he was eventually done, he retreated and blinked a few times when he was once again seeing the world with his real eyes.

He watched as Marco brought up his fingers to touch his own jaw, an expression akin to wonder on his face.  
“The pain is gone.”

“Yes, that’s what my ability does as you should remember.” Thomas told him, sounding a bit harsh. “Now, listen. When I’m healing someone who is severely injured, I’m feeding him my own life energy. You’re healed now, so there’s a chance that supplying you with my energy will do the trick.”

Marco frowned. “But wouldn’t that be dangerous for you?”

Thomas snorted. “Don’t pretend to be concerned about me. You tried to shoot me only yesterday.”

Marco winced at the reminder. “I know and I’m sorry for that.”

“Being sorry won’t bring Philipp back!” Thomas shouted angrily.

A moment later he realized he had made a grave mistake.  
Marco’s eyes widened and his breathing sped up drastically, his gaze becoming unfocused and his body jerking underneath Thomas.

“Dammit!” Thomas cursed out loud as he watched Marco falling back into another panic attack. Bringing up that he had murdered someone had obviously been a bad idea.

He tried to get a hold of Marco’s wrists that were lashing out against him and tried to remember what Robert had done to calm Marco down.  
“Marco, you need to snap out of it! Please calm down, no one is going to hurt you.”

Of course it wasn’t working, Marco didn’t even seem to hear him, so he grabbed the front of Marco’s shirt and tried to force him into his arms, but before he was able to do that, one of Marco’s fists connected with the side of his head and made Thomas stumble backwards. He returned to his previous position, shielding himself with his arm, but his actions only seemed to make things worse.  
What unsettled him the most though was the silence. The only sound that could be heard was from Marco’s trashing and his stuttered breathing. No sound left his mouth even though it looked like he wanted to scream.

Thomas had no idea what exactly made him think this could work, but in the end he did the only thing that always seemed to work when wounds were involved. Up to now he had only used his power on physical wounds, not on psychological ones but he was out of options. So he put his palm on Marco’s chest once again and dove into his mind.

And he almost railed back at what he saw there.  
Marco’s mind reminded him of the sky at sunset, an endless vortex of black and purple that felt so cold that Thomas even felt his real body shiver. The streams were stronger in the middle where a gray sphere was located that almost looked like a dying light. And right next to it was a ball of rainbow colors that made up the only remaining source of light. Instinctively Thomas’ conscious floated towards the colors and the heavy feeling and the cold were replaced by warmth and a familiar tingling. It felt very similar to how Robert’s mind had felt like and Thomas wondered if it was the doing of Robert’s love. It definitely was the only thing keeping Marco’s mind from spiraling down and collapsing from all the pain, grief and guilt.

Thomas shifted his gaze back to the gray sphere and realized that it must have been Marco’s center once and Mario’s death had apparently destroyed it. For a moment he felt entirely helpless, not knowing where to start in fixing this mess and if he even could do that. Looking at his surroundings and feeling the piercing cold crawling up his skin – or rather crawling up the edges of his conscious – he had the devastating feeling that he could spend all of his life trying to fix Marco without ever succeeding.  
Carefully he approached the purple vortex closest to him and tried to get a hold of it. But as soon as he tried to bend it, Marco’s mind lit up with dozens of blinding white lightning flashes that made Thomas jerk back in pain.

Marco was rejecting him unconsciously. Thomas shouldn’t have been surprised, after all Marco was completely unfamiliar with his power. That made Thomas think of something that might work.  
He turned towards the warm rainbow sphere and slowly he reached out for it, reveling in its soothing light before reaching out and pulling at it. The sphere let itself be bended, however touching it made Thomas feel like he was being charged up too quickly, his senses overloading from too much energy that didn’t belong to him. He managed to direct it to the purple vortex he had just touched and just like he had hoped, it accepted Robert’s energy instantly. The chaotic swirling of the vortex began to slow down, purple fading into dark blue that aligned itself with the rainbow colors.

Thomas didn’t let that one small victory fool him: It was one vortex in a hundred and it felt like the change wasn’t permanent. Still he found himself repeating he process a few more times until the two spheres were surrounded by calm streams of dark blue. Only then did Thomas resurface from Marco’s mind, his whole body trembling from exhaustion.

But it had worked. Marco was staring up at him, eyes wide and panting hard.  
“I have no idea what you just did, but thank you I guess.”

“You’re welcome,” Thomas replied dryly. He wasn’t sure if he should address what he had seen inside of Marco’s mind or if it was better not to let him know how much Thomas had breached his privacy.

The decision was taken from him when Marco sat up slowly and turned towards Robert. “You said something about feeding me your energy. You really think this could work?”

Keeping in mind what he had just accomplished, Thomas felt more confident now than he did when he had suggested this. “I’m sure of it.”

Marco nodded. “Then do it.”

Thomas didn’t need to be told twice. He returned to Marco’s mind, relieved to see that the slight changes he had made were still existent and this time he found Marco actually welcoming him deeper into his spirit.

His presence was a small ball of red and white light located between the two spheres and when Thomas touched it, he felt apprehension and gratitude coming from the other man.

Thomas would have preferred to communicate with his mouth, but he still tried to send some of his own energy to Marco; just a tiny bit to prepare him for the feeling of getting a power boost. As expected Marco flinched slightly, but got used to the foreign energy very quickly, so Thomas dared to create an actual link between them and pushed more of his energy through the growing channel. He could feel his body protesting at the sudden loss of energy but ignored it vehemently. Marco had trouble dealing with it at first, but then he seemed to have focused on using the added power to break through Robert’s inner wall because suddenly there was no more resistance from him; Thomas’ energy was flowing right through him.

Thomas felt his spiritual vision dimming and just when he felt himself sliding back into the corporal world, he noticed a wave of relief coming from Marco, red being replaced by green for a moment and somehow he knew that Marco had succeeded. If he had been able to, Thomas would have smiled as he slipped into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you're worried: Robert's memories will be addressed soon, I'm not glossing anything over and letting them continue as though nothing happened.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, technically I started my short vacation today, so I won't be home until Monday. So I don't really have time for writing anything, but as you can see I couldn't just leave without giving you something to pass the weekend. ;)
> 
> This chapter was such a relief to write, because finally something happened that has been due for like ten chapters:  
> Robert, Marco and Thomas talk. All three. To each other. No, I'm not kidding. FINALLY!!! :)

 

  
He was aware that he was lying on something warm, but felt too tired - or rather drained – to open his eyes just yet. He was about to fall back into his peaceful slumber when he heard a low voice coming from the side.

“I knew the risks, Marco, and I decided that it was worth it.”

There was a disapproving huff coming from above Thomas’ head and when the other person spoke, Thomas felt his warm pillow vibrate meaning he must be lying on top of that person.  
“Nothing is worth risking your life for. Especially not when you could have just told Thomas about the past.”

“And what exactly should I have told him? That I can’t be with him because I need to be with my former best friend who abused me as revenge for killing his boyfriend? Oh yes, I’m sure Thomas would have understood.”

Thomas tensed at those words, but both men were too absorbed in their thoughts to notice.  
After a while Marco tried again in a softer voice. “You never told anyone about what happened between us. Not even Leo and Cristiano.”

Thomas almost jumped in surprise when he felt a hand stroking over his head gently and he knew instantly that these long slender fingers belonged to Robert.  
“Until now no one needed to know. It was our secret.”

“You made an exception for him,” Marco pointed out before asking what Thomas had been wondering about as well. “Why?”

“I could see the hurt and betrayal in his eyes when he saw me kissing you. I didn’t want him to think that I fooled him right from the start.” It sounded like Robert was evading the question and of course it didn’t slip Marco’s attention.  
“You never cared much about other people’s opinions of you. And you certainly wouldn’t have told a living soul about our past just for that. So I’m asking you again; why?”

Robert’s fingers stilled in Thomas’ hair. “You know why.”

“I need to hear you say it.” Marco’s voice was carefully neutral.

“I love him.” Robert was still keeping his voice down, but his voice rang so loud in Thomas’ ears as though he had been shouting. Robert loved him. Thomas hadn’t thought he would ever hear Robert uttering these words, not after what he had seen in those memories. He had trouble keeping still and pretending to sleep now.  
Marco shifted underneath him, one of his arms coming around Thomas to support him as he sat up. “If you love him, why did you kiss me?”

There was the rustling of sheets and then Thomas felt another body at his back. It took him a moment to realize that Robert was now holding him from behind while facing Marco at Thomas’ other side.  
“Just because I have fallen in love with him doesn’t mean that I have just stopped loving you. It’s not that easy.”

“You will have to choose,” Marco told him and he sounded like he regretted having to give Robert that ultimatum.

“I already made my decision.” Thomas took note of the light tremble of Robert’s hand which had resumed carding through his hair.

Marco’s hand on Thomas’ hip tightened. “So what is it?” He sounded dreadful, like he didn’t want to know the answer.

“He should be awake when we are discussing this.” Robert’s free hand shook Thomas’ shoulder carefully. “Thomas? Please wake up.”

The younger man’s eyes fluttered open instantly. “I am. I’ve been awake for quite some time.” Neither of them seemed to mind that he had listened in on their conversation.

Slowly Thomas sat up and Marco’s hand dropped from his hip to the mattress. Both men turned to Robert, waiting for him to pick up where he left off.

Robert took a deep breath before looking at Thomas. “I love you, Thomas. You found me at a time when I had given up on life and was prepared to die.” He smiled as he reached for Thomas’ hands and put them between his own. “I couldn’t understand why you had risked your life for a stranger and even less how you could fall in love with me after learning what I did.” Thomas opened his mouth to speak, but Robert shook his head. “No, please let me finish. I don’t know if I will still have the strength to do the right thing once you told me how you feel.” Thomas nodded and felt Robert pulling back his right hand; the left one tightening its grip on Thomas. With his free hand he reached for Marco who took it immediately. Robert’s eyes filled with sadness. “But this isn’t about me alone. We’re in this together.” He turned to look at Marco. “I left you because I thought you were doing alright and that you would want to go on with your life. I didn’t expect you to still want me being a part of it.”

“How could you think that?” Marco asked, clutching Robert’s hand so tightly as though he was afraid Robert would pull it back. “How could you leave me just like that? I spent months searching for you, not knowing what had happened to make you leave except that you were with Leo. And then I finally found you and you were with _him._ ” He glanced at Thomas, but his eyes were surprisingly soft. “When Cristiano told me that Thomas had rescued you and was trying to hide you, I thought it had all been a lie and you had left me to be with him.”

Finally Thomas understood why Marco had disliked him right from the start. “You thought I had taken Robert away from you?”

“It wasn’t making any sense to me. That Robert would leave all of a sudden even though he had promised to stay with me.”

Robert nodded. “I know. But I couldn’t say goodbye to you. Even though I was sure that you were ready to start a new chapter of your life, I also knew that you would have never let me go willingly.”

“Of course I wouldn’t have let you leave, just so you could march into your death!” Marco agreed vehemently. “Because I’ve come to love you.”

Thomas looked between them, wondering briefly why he didn’t mind their confessions.

“I know that now,” Robert replied. “I left you because I thought it was for the best and you needed to find someone that you could love without being reminded of all the things you had lost.”  
“You talk like that is supposed to make me love you less. And at first I told myself the same. But now I realize that it’s the exact opposite. You and I still held on to each other despite all the horrible things that happened between us. That’s why I love you even more now, because you stayed with me even when all I wanted was to hurt you.”

Robert accepted his words with a sad smile. “I’m sorry for underestimating your feelings for me. I shouldn’t have doubted them.”

“The words ‘ _sorry_ ’ and ‘ _shouldn’t have’_ appear way too often in our relationship, don’t you think?” Marco remarked. “That’s why I would understand if you would like to draw a final line underneath it. In those two years with me you had to endure more pain than anybody should have had to suffer.”

“Perhaps that’s true,” Robert agreed softly, letting his hand slip from Marco’s grip to raise it to Marco’s face. The blond leaned into the touch like a dying man craving for salvation. “But like I said earlier, this isn’t just about me. You’ve lost so much because of me, all I want is for you to find happiness. I still don’t understand how you can think that me being with you will help in achieving that when all of your pain is my fault. But I won’t make the mistake of questioning your feelings again. So if you really want me to stay with you, just say it and I will.”

Marco’s eyes widened in surprise, but to Thomas that turn of events didn’t come entirely unexpected. Not after having seen those memories and having felt Robert’s love for Marco first-hand.

Robert turned to him with tears in his eyes. “Thomas, I’m sorry. I cannot expect you to understand my decision, but I can’t be with you.”

His words stung even though Thomas had very much expected them. “I know. And I understand the reason why you can’t leave him, I really do.”

Robert let go of Marco and cupped Thomas’ face with his hands tenderly. “I love you, Thomas. I will always love you.” He leaned forward and for the first time their lips met in a soft kiss full of desperation. It was anything and nothing that Thomas had ever imagined, soothing the pain Robert’s words had inflicted while deepening them at the same time.  
Thomas couldn’t help himself and brought up his hands to the back of Robert’s neck, pulling so the light touch changed into something else. He opened his mouth, glad that Robert didn’t stop him when he slid his tongue into the other man’s mouth, trying to savor Robert’s taste because this was his last chance to do so.

When they broke apart, neither of them pulled back and instead they rested their foreheads against each other’s, the distance so small that their noses were still touching and they could feel the other’s breath on their lips. Thomas couldn’t tear his gaze away from these bright blue eyes, not even when he spoke to Marco who was still sitting right beside him. “Take good care of him. You owe him at least that much.”

“I will. I promise.”

Thomas nodded gratefully before he got up from the bed or at least tried to. But he was swaying dangerously on his feet, probably still too drained from transfering his energy to Marco and both men were at his sides a moment later, supporting him.

“Are you okay?” Robert asked worried. Thomas knew that he was not just talking about his physical condition.

He tried to smile, but it felt forced. “Not yet, but I'm going to be.” He sounded a lot more confident than he felt. Robert and Marco both looked as though they could see right through his facade, so he tried to distract them. “We should let the others know that we're alive.” He turned to Marco, trying to smile once again. “I guess you didn't tell them that Robert has woken up.”

“I had no opportunity to,” Marco replied quietly. “Robert had just woken up disorientated and you were unconscious. I wanted to make sure both of you were okay first.”

“Well then we should catch up on that,” Thomas said and tried to take a few steps of his own. His vision was spinning, his legs too lazy to carry his weight and eventually he let Robert and Marco help him.

They left the room and walked down the stairs slowly and Thomas tried to push away his despair that was threatening to suffocate him. The others were waiting in the living room, Manuel and Miroslav sitting side by side on the couch, Bastian in the chair at the opposite side while Leo was pacing the room. Their heads turned towards the three men once they appeared at the doorstep.

“Robert,” Lionel exclaimed in relief and all tension left his body. “Thank God, you're alright.”

Manuel and Miroslav had both jumped up and hurried over to Thomas. Manuel touched the younger man's shoulder warily. “Thomas, what's wrong? You're as pale as a ghost.”

Thomas tried to answer, but no words left his mouth. He had no idea where to start, all he wanted was to be left alone for a while.

Fortunately Robert answered instead. “He needs a lot of rest for now. And maybe a bit time to process what happened. He can answer your questions later.” His voice was polite but allowed no argument.

Manuel acccepted his words with a clipped nod and led them up the stairs into the direction of his and Thomas' bedroom, Marco and Robert supporting Thomas from each side. When they let go of him at the doorstep, it was Marco who broke the heavy silence.

“Thomas, I need to apologize.”  
  
Thomas turned towards him. “For what exactly?”

“For causing you so much pain. I killed Philipp and there's no excuse for that, no matter how hard I tried to blame it on my panic regarding Robert's safety. And now I have taken the man you have fallen in love with away from you.” He met Thomas' eyes. “If you hate me now, you have every right to do so. I just want you to know that I didn't mean for any of this to happen.”

Thomas couldn't give a reply to that. He believed Marco, but it made none of this easier. His heart was aching so much and he had the feeling it would only get worse once he had come out of his state of shock and realized that it wasn't a dream. All this time he had believed that one day he and Robert would be together. It would have been easier to accept the truth if Robert loved Marco more than him. But it wasn't the case, Robert loved both them in very different ways. And though he wanted to be with Thomas, he had still chosen Marco just like he had always done in those memories. Thomas understood why Robert and Marco needed each other, but it still hurt to be the one left behind.

Thomas was unprepared for Marco stepping forward and putting his arms around him. “I'm sorry,” the blond mumbled into Thomas' shoulder. “I wish I'd be strong enough to let Robert go. You deserve him much more than I do.”

For a long moment Thomas stood there frozen in place, trying to determine how he felt about Marco embracing him. His eyes met Robert's who was watching them with devastation. Even though Robert had made his decision, it was still evident that he was far from happy with it.

Thomas felt like screaming in despair. Why did it have to be this way? No matter how Robert had chosen, there would have always been someone left broken-hearted...

Thomas finally closed his eyes and let his body lean against Marco's, holding on to the other man and repeating what he had said earlier. “Just take care of him for me. That's all I'm asking from you.”

“I'm afraid,” Marco admitted and he was trembling now, his hot tears dropping to Thomas' neck. “I have hurt him before.”

“That won't happen again,” Thomas said with conviction and pulled back to look at the other man intensely. “Because otherwise I will kill you.” He was surprised by his own words, but it was the truth.

Marco chuckled, just when Robert appeared next to them and pulling both of them into a hug, so that the three of them were holding each other.

Robert's voice was barely above a whisper. “I love you, Thomas. I hope that one day you will find someone who isn't as broken as me.”

“I wouldn't have minded. I would have gladly spent my whole life picking up the pieces,” Thomas replied and before he could think about, he turned his head to put another kiss to Robert's lips. Before Robert could react, he pulled back and walked back into his room, shutting the door behind him.

He just wanted to die. His heart was burning with the force of a wildfire as Thomas finally allowed his feelings to overcome him and the last thing he saw was Manuel crouching down beside him before he screamed until he blacked out again. Just when he succumbed to darkness, he could swear he saw his surroundings go up in flames...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry...  
> On the bright side, we're going to see Cristiano again very soon and we're slowly reaching the end of this story. (Slowly.)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An early update with a big chapter for you because my inspiration has a different idea of vacation than my body. ;)  
> I'm absolutely mortified because this chapter is the first in forever that ends on a happy note and now I feel like an absolute failure for not creating a torturous cliffhanger. Please forgive me... :D
> 
> Apoolgies if there many mistakes, I'm too exhausted to read through this again.

 

  
He was aching again, his whole body hurting as though he had got under a bus. Slowly Thomas opened his eyes and found himself lying in a familiar bed. He blinked a few times before recognizing that he was once again in Robert's and Marco's room even though he was sure he had blacked out in his own. Strange...

Then he turned his head and to his surprise he found Marco lying on the other side of the bed, still fully dressed but clearly asleep. Thomas stared at him wondering what the hell was going on before turning his head to the other side and finding himself face to face with Robert who was sitting on the edge, looking at him with a relieved smile.

“Hey,” he said before putting whatever he had been holding away and leaning forward. “How are you feeling?”

“I don't know,” Thomas answered with a croaky voice. “Everything hurts. What happened?”

“We don't know for sure, but the moment you closed the door, your feelings seemed to get the better of you and you lost control over yourself.”

Thomas frowned. “What does that mean? Did I do something?”

Robert swallowed before dropping his gaze. “You should get some rest first.”

That was the same as a yes. “Robert, what did I do?”

“It wasn't your fault, you didn't mean for this to happen,” Robert replied, his voice wavering audibly.

Thomas sat up, ignoring how much the sudden movement hurt and gripped Robert's arms, opening his mouth to add something, but Robert's reaction to his touch shocked him. The older man jerked, his face twisting in pain and a wince escaping him.

Frowning in confusion Thomas dropped his gaze to Robert's arms that were hidden by the long sleeves of his shirt and eventually to his wrists. His eyes widened when he saw that the entire skin there was covered in ugly red and white blisters.

“Robert, what happened to your arms?!”

Robert sighed before giving in. “We heard you screaming and when we burst into your room, all of it was on fire suddenly. I tried to get you out before you would burn to death in there, but you were already covered in flames, so I sustained a few burns as well.”

So these wounds were _his_ doing? Thomas couldn't believe it. He had sworn to protect Robert after all the pain he had endured for the last two years; he had condemned Marco for hurting Robert and now he had done just the same...

Thomas opened his eyes and stared down at Robert's hands. “Why are you sitting here? You need to get into a hospital immediately.”

Robert shook his head. “I needed to know you were alright first. Besides I thought maybe you could fix the worst when you have recovered?”

Thomas had almost forgot about his ability. “Yeah, of course, come here.”

But Robert shook his head again. “Thank you, but I can wait. There's someone who needs your help more than I do.”

Thomas turned his head to Marco, looking him over but he looked quite alright save for the dark circles under his eyes. “He's hurt too?”

“No, it's not him. He's just sleeping because we've been taking turns in suppressing your powers.”

Thomas looked back to Robert, his relief that he hadn't injured Marco as well, short-lived. “Then who did I hurt? Everyone else was downstairs in the living room.”

But that wasn't true, he remembered just when Robert whispered, “It's Manu. He was trying to catch you in his arms when you collapsed.”

“God, no...” Thomas begged because this couldn't be happening. Not Manuel.

“He was too close when you burst out in flames. He's in intensive care at the hospital, but his condition is critical. He won't make it without your help.”

„Then let's go there immediately!” Thomas said and jumped up from the bed instantly. His movement may have been a bit too sudden though because it took his eyes a while to adjust; something that had obviously not been lost on Robert.

“You're too exhausted. You used most of your energy to help Marco getting me out of my memories and then this accident with you going up in flames happened. You're not back to your usual strength yet.”

“I'm fine,” Thomas argued.

“No, you're not. I've been surpressing your ability for two hours now and I could go on a lot longer, because your body is so weak right now.”

Thomas clenched his teeth. “It doesn't matter. Manu needs me.”

“I know and trust me, I wasn't going to stop you from healing him,” Robert said softly, taking Thomas by surprise.

“You weren't? But you just said-”

“I said that _you_ don't have the strength to pull such a stunt, not even if you were recovered,” Robert interrupted him before standing up and walking over to Marco at the other side of the bed. He shook Marco's shoulder gently, causing the blond to blink a few times before he seemed to get why he was being woken up. His eyes flickered to Thomas and a moment later Robert met Thomas' eyes again and extended his hand to the younger man. “But the three of us together have.”

Thomas stared at him dumbfounded. “I don't understand.”

“You can push your energy into other persons, right? Well, Leo and I think that it will also work the other way around.”

That was something Thomas had never thought of before. “You think I can draw energy from people?”

“Yes. And because you were in my head as well as Marco's before and are therefore already familiar with their workings, we think that it would work best if you used our combined power instead of somebody else's.”

Thomas had to admit that it made sense. He met Marco's gaze briefly, but found no objection there. Apparently they had already discussed this while Thomas had been sleeping.

Marco added, “It's why we decided to take turns in suppressing your ability. So no one of us would be too exhausted for that moment you needed us.”

Thomas nodded and finally took Robert's hand, squeezing it firmly. “Alright, let's give this a try. So where is Manu now?”

“The burn unit in the La Paz hospital here in Madrid,” Robert replied swiftly. “The others have been with him for the whole night, so they could call us if Manu's condition got worse.”

The three men exited the house hastily and Thomas shuddered when he caught a glimpse of the burnt room where he had lost control. It didn't look as bad as he had imagined, but it was still scary to see the remnants of the furniture, all of it covered in black, the stench of charcoaled wood biting in his nose.

“Leo's going to be mad, this was supposed to be Cristiano's room.”

“Don't worry about that, he can still rebuild it one day. The only truly precious things in that room were the photo albums and since they were at the other side of the room, they survived.”

It was strange how much that knowledge calmed Thomas, after all those were just a bunch of photos.

They hurried into Lionel's garage and Robert pulled out the keys to one of the cars standing there, a black Maserati.

Marco chuckled. “Robert, couldn't you have picked something less conspicuous?”

“Why would I do that?” Robert asked, sounding offended. “You know I have a thing for fancy cars and last time I checked you were on the same page with me.”

Marco only grinned and for some reason it made Thomas smile as well. Robert moved to open the door at the driver’s side, but Marco put himself in the way and took the keys out of his hand.

“You’re not driving, look at the state of your hands.”

Robert looked like he wanted to protest, but eventually gave in with a sigh. Thomas felt a wave of guilt wash over him as Marco’s words drew his attention back to Robert’s wrists.

“Please let me heal them.”

Robert gave him a soft look. “Later. I told you, you need to save your strength for Manu.”

“Please.” Thomas knew he was being irrational, but he couldn’t stand the sight of Robert’s wounds any longer. It must have shown in his eyes because without another protest Robert climbed onto the back seat of the car, waiting for Thomas to follow him. The younger man risked a glance at Marco who was watching him carefully. The blond looked away then, but when he spoke, his voice was reassuring. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep your little fire problem in check while you’re healing Robert.” Then he started the engine, so Thomas got into the vehicle as well and shut the door behind him. The car purred when Marco put his foot on the gas and Thomas turned back to Robert. “Lie down on your back and try to relax.”

Robert obeyed or at least he tried to, but didn’t quite succeed as he struggled to make his long limbs fit into the narrow space of the back seat and he ended up with his tucked up legs sprawled over Thomas’.

Thomas pushed the thought of how awkward their positions were out of his mind and placed his right hand on Robert’s chest to delve into his mind.

He noted with surprise that something fundamental had changed. The last time that he had explored Robert’s mind was back on the day they first met when he had sneaked into the hospital and tried to wake Robert from his coma.

Back then he had seen a blinding light in the middle, surrounded by all imaginable colors floating aimlessly at the edges. It had already been beautiful before, but now it was absolutely breathtaking despite all of the additional damage. The colors were moving now, all of them streaming in circles around the light that had dimmed down slightly. It took Thomas a moment to figure out why the center was losing so much energy, but then he saw the distant red ball next to it that felt very familiar.

Thomas approached it curiously and concentrated on what was behind the red, protected inside of the ball. When he caught a glimpse of dark blue streams in there, he recognized the owner.

_Marco._

Thomas stared at the red sphere, wondering if it had already been there and he simply hadn’t noticed it the first time. For some reason he doubted that.

On the other hand Robert had been running from his old life – from Marco and his past – when Thomas had been here the last time. Maybe he had unknowingly also cut off his connection to Marco’s mind and that’s why Thomas hadn’t seen it?

He was about to turn away and leave Robert’s mind to focus on healing Robert’s body when he noticed something that made him halt again. There was something other than Marco that was dimming down Robert’s once painfully blinding light, feeding it with a calm light blue energy that seemed to dissipate into the far edges of Robert’s mind. Thomas stared at it, noting the way Robert’s light seemed to push it away while at the same time embracing the small threads of light blue coming from it. Thomas wondered why Robert was denying something that obviously benefitted him and therefore also Marco, so he drifted closer and reached out to touch the blue ball.

He railed back in shock when he felt his body – his _physical_ body – reacting to it and a moment later he realized that this was _him._

Robert was drawing strength from him but at the same time trying to reject the connection. A fitting image considering what happened yesterday…

Thomas touched the light blue again and this time he ignored that it made him feel like someone was actually touching him from inside. Instead he followed the thread connecting him to Robert, also ignoring how the foreign sensation evolved into a dragging pain the closer he got to the light.

When he reached the end, he hesitated for a long moment wondering if he should really do this, but something told him that he was doing the right thing. So he did something he had never done before. Very carefully he let his own energy touch the essence of Robert directly. Thomas screamed in surprise when a bolt of something that felt like pain but wasn’t exactly painful, overcame him and he was jolted out of Robert’s mind.

He was still lying on top of the other man who was staring at him wide-eyed and panting hard. “What did you just do? I feel better and worse at the same time.”

Thomas had no idea what just happened, but Robert’s description was quite fitting. He felt like he had lost a bit of his own energy, but gained an entirely new one in the process. It was electrifying and once again he was reminded of the moment when he had first discovered Robert’s mind. Maybe a very small part of him had already formed the connection at that time and it had rapidly grown over time?

He dropped his eyes to Robert’s wrists, noting the flawless pale skin that had replaced the numerous blisters. Apparently touching the connection had drawn a bit of energy from him to heal Robert.

He exhaled in relief before belatedly noticing something else. The car wasn’t moving anymore, it hadn’t been since he had left Robert’s mind. He looked up to find Marco watching him with a bewildered expression.  
“I could feel you.”

Thomas frowned. “What do you mean you could feel me?”

“I don’t know, it was like someone was touching my whole body and I could recognize that it was you from when you helped me wake Robert up yesterday.”

That was strange. Perhaps Marco had been able to feel an echo through his own link with Robert? And if so, did that mean that Thomas and Marco were also connected in some way?

God, how could this have got even more complicated?! Under different circumstances, Thomas would have liked to explore this new discovery, but there was no time for that.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you, Marco. That wasn’t my intention.”

“You didn’t hurt me,” the blond replied and Thomas didn’t know what to make of the intense look in those bright green eyes. “Let’s just say it felt very weird.”

Robert cut in before Thomas could respond. “I hate to interrupt the two of you, but Manu needs us.”

Right.

Marco resumed driving immediately, flooring the gas pedal and surely breaking a dozen traffic rules in the seven minutes it took them to reach the hospital.

They burst through the front door in a hurry, causing the elderly nurse at the reception desk to raise an eyebrow as she faced Thomas. “How can I help you, young man?”

“I’m looking for a friend of mine. He has been admitted to the burn unit yesterday.”

“Listen, dear,” she said in an annoying tone that was probably meant to sound soothing. “The burn unit is closed for public, you cannot go in there.”

“You don’t understand,” Thomas argued, his already thin patience worn out. “I need to see my friend, I can help him!”

He wasn’t surprised that the woman wasn’t listening to him. “Please leave this to the doctors. I can assure you they’re doing the best they-“

“It’s alright, Maria, let them through,” a new voice called through the corridor.

When Thomas, Robert and Marco turned around, they found a handsome man in a long white gown stroding towards them, short light brown hair combed neatly to the side and his facial hair a few shades more reddish.

He extended his hand with a warm smile lighting up his hazel eyes. “You are Leo’s friends, I suppose?”

Thomas nodded before taking it. “Yes and you are?”

“Dr. Xabi Alonso, the head physician in charge of Manuel,” he replied. “Leo told me you would be coming and that you may be able to help. Please follow me.”

They obeyed and the doctor led them to the elevator. They exited on the second floor where another nurse appeared and brought them four green tunics to wear. As soon as they were done changing into them, Dr. Alonso led them into one of the rooms.

Lionel was already standing at the end of the bed, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw them. Bastian was sitting at the side of the bed, his head resting on his crossed arms.

But it was the third person drawing Thomas’ attention. Miroslav was sitting at the other side of the bed, looking so tired as though he hadn’t managed to close his eyes for even one second. But when he saw Thomas entering, his whole body tensed, his wings flaring up in what a threatening way that looked impressive despite the bad state of his wings.

Thomas stopped dead in his tracks, yet he could understand Miroslav’s reaction. If it wasn’t for Robert and Marco suppressing his new ability, Thomas would still be a danger to them all. The realization was crushing.

He blinked in surprise when Robert placed his body in front of him. “Stop it, Miro! Thomas is here to help Manu.”

With a sigh the older man dropped his aggressive stance. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

Robert didn’t look satisfied, but fortunately Marco interfered. “How did you get in here anyway? Don’t tell me you managed to hide your wings under your clothes.”

Miroslav swallowed hard. “No, I didn’t. To be honest we were all too panicked about Manu to consider that my wings would surely draw attention. Thankfully Xabi took care of the crowd and let us stay in here.”

Robert, Marco and Thomas gave the doctor a curious look. If he hadn’t been that surprised upon seeing a man with wings, did that mean…?

“Don’t look at me like that, I don’t have an ability. I’ve just been friends with Leo for years and I was the one to patch Miro up.” His smile turned into a grimace. “Or at least I tried my best to patch him up.”

“You did the best you could,” Miroslav replied calmly. “I’m still thankful for that.”

Xabi tried to shrug his gratitude off, but the small smile returned to his face.

“You’re welcome. I sincerely hope that your faith healer here will be able to succeed where I failed.” He turned to Thomas with a challenging glint in his eyes. “Now let’s see if Leo was right to praise your potential.”

Thomas steeled himself as Xabi motioned for him to finally step closer to the bed. What he saw there shocked Thomas to the core.

If he hadn’t known that this was his best friend lying there, he wouldn’t have been able to recognize him. The entire skin of his body was scorched, revealing deep red flesh that was covered in white blisters. He looked thinner and so uncharacteristically fragile. The worst though was the fact that Manuel was conscious. His blue eyes, that Thomas had come so accustomed with in the last few years, were still the same as they met Thomas’ gaze; a familiar feature in an otherwise completely deformed face.

Thomas didn’t know when he had started crying, but suddenly there were tears streaming down his face as he took in the damage he had done, the excruciating pain he had inflicted on his best friend.

“Manu, I’m so sorry,” he panted out, knowing it was too little too late. Instinctively he reached out, but Xabi caught his wrist before he could touch Manuel’s arm. “Please don’t. Manuel has sustained 95 per cent burns; touching him just like that could cause chunks of flesh to just fall off. As you can tell from the lack of advanced technical devices, my colleagues have already given up on him. There are barely any cases of such severe cases surviving and if it weren’t for Leo’s faith in you, I would agree. His vitals are about to malfunction very soon.”

Thomas barely understood what the doctor was saying; he just couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down his face. He wasn’t sure if he’s the one pulling Robert closer or if it was the other way around, but a moment later he had his face buried in the crook of Robert’s neck, the older man’s hand coming up to the back of his head in a soothing manner.

“Shh, Thomas,” Robert whispered into his ear and Thomas couldn’t suppress a shudder when he soaked up the warmth of the other man’s body, needing the comfort even more than he had anticipated himself.

“I did this!” he retorted in between sobs to which Robert only tightened his grip until all Thomas could feel was Robert’s body pressed against his own. It was as much calming as it was distracting.

“This isn’t your fault. Remember the times you told me I shouldn’t blame myself for Mario’s death because it was an accident?” Of course he did. It had been the first of quite a few tragedies in Robert’s life. “Don’t blame yourself for this either. You are the only one who can fix this.”

Thomas took a few breaths before he found the courage to turn back to Manuel who was watching him silently. It was hard to tell whether he had been following the exchange or if he was too lost in his pain to keep track of what was going on in his surroundings.

“I’m sorry,” Thomas repeated once again, this time with a bit more confidence. He was going to do everything in his power to fix what he had done. “I will make it all go away, Manu,” he whispered with conviction. Then he looked back at Robert who was still holding him in his arms, waiting until he received a nod of affirmation before turning to Marco.

There were no words required as Marco joined them and he reached out for Manuel once again. Xabi looked like he wanted to intervene, but after a shake of the head from Lionel, he didn't let his disapproval show. Thomas sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling Robert next to him while Marco sat down on the chair Bastian had previously occupied and gripped Thomas' outstretched hand.

Taking one final breath Thomas dove into Manuel's mind.

It was like hell in there. There was no clear direction where his energy was flowing, everything was a scattered mess. Even without Thomas touching anything, there were aggressive lightning bolts everywhere. Between all the red and white energy it was hard to figure out where to search for Manuel's center. Nevertheless he tried to explore the depths of his friend's mind, noticing quickly that he wasn't alone. Because whenever he was about to get hit by a lightening bolt there was always a ball of red or white throwing itself in between to save him the pain. It still sent a reverberation through the link with Thomas, but that nothing compared to the real thing.

After a while he found what he had been looking for: There hidden behind a veil of red was a turquoise ball that seemed to be Manuel's center. And its energy was diminishing rapidly. Thomas tried to approach it but there was no getting through the veil. At least not alone.

He hesitated for a short moment before figuring he had no other choice. Marco and Robert had both agreed to help him and they had certainly been prepared to give it their best as well. So Thomas focused on the connection to Robert and pulled. He met no resistance as the light blue thread pulsed with Robert's energy and he felt himself being charged up with additional power. With effort he managed to focus on Manuel's center, then he crashed straight into the veil. The impact hurt and he could feel it transferring to Robert as well, yet it seemed to work. The pain hurt as though _they_ were the ones suffering from burn wounds, but they managed to break through though the veil closed right behind them. Thomas contemplated just touching Manuel's center, but for some reason it felt wrong to do that with everyone. Besides, judging by the way Robert and Marco had reacted to it, he figured it would cause even more pain to Manuel, something he wanted to avoid at all cost. On the other hand he had the growing suspicion that it would take him too long to fix Manuel's life energy and by the time he was done, Manuel's center might have even faded completely. Somehow Robert seemed to sense his predicament because the white light left his side to wrap itself around Manuel's center, the tiny bit of rainbow colors surrounding them acting as a buffer between them and the veil of red.

If he could, Thomas would have smiled. Robert was protecting Manuel to give Thomas more time to fix Manuel from the outside.

Thomas left Manuel's mind, but only to focus on the life energy in the rest of his body. He missed feeling Robert's mind beside him, but he still wasn't alone. Despite the two of them only sharing a link through Robert, Marco had joined Thomas' side.

In a matter of seconds Thomas realized that he couldn't really concentrate on one particular spot, there was far too much chaos and pain, so instead he tried opening the channels of his own life energy to make it seep into Manuel. The speed with which that action drained him was worrisome and for a moment Thomas was sure he would fail, that he would die without even having saved Manuel. But then he felt a new channel opening, one that didn't belong to him and he absorbed the energy instinctively. He barely had time to recognize that this was Marco before he felt their combined energies erupt in a blinding pink light. Thomas wasn't sure if he was the one pulling them all out or if Manuel simply rejected them, but suddenly he was back in his real body, holding on to Robert who was panting hard. Marco had slumped on the seat, but he seemed to be mostly alright as well.

But all of his relief was nothing compared to the one he felt when he looked at Manuel on the bed.

They weren't staring at a half-dead body, but the Manuel they knew though he looked beyond exhausted. His skin was too soft like new skin on wounds always tended to be and his hair had yet to grow back, but otherwise he looked the same as Thomas knew him.

His eyes met Thomas, searching for words that were not needed. Then Miroslav and Bastian were all over him, hugging him with tears in their eyes and squeezing him so tightly that Thomas was concerned he would have to heal a broken rib next.

Xabi stared at Manuel as though he had trouble believing it. “This is a miracle.”

Lionel smiled proudly while patting Thomas' shoulder. “I told you he could do it.”

But Thomas barely paid them any attention. He still looked at Manuel, fearing that his friend wouldn't forgive him for almost killing him. But Manuel only sat up and pulled Thomas into a hug as well. “Thank you.”

Before the younger man could answer, Xabi interrupted them. “As a doctor it goes against my better judgment to just kick out a patient that was on the brink of death just moments ago, but Lionel tells me that you don't want any business with the authorities. I'm sure the presence of a man with wings hasn't gone unnoticed, but I'll think of something. You should all leave immediately though. I can only give you so much of a head start.”

They all got up without protest; Lionel and Xabi leading the way while Miroslav and Bastian were supporting a still very wobbly Manuel, followed by Marco, Robert and Thomas that were all leaning so heavily on each other that it was hard to tell who was supporting who.

The driver of the paramedic car that was instructed to get them out of the hospital didn't even spare them a second glance as though it was absolutely normal to play taxi driver for a group of exhausted men, one of which had actual wings. Either the poor guy was very good friends with Xabi and knew everything or he was paid a horrendous bit of money.

Just when Lionel was about to close the door though, Xabi looked at him with a meaningful expression.

„About those files you sent me.”

“Yes?” Lionel asked, his body alert as he turned to the doctor.

“I think I’ve finally found him.”

The cryptic statement brought a sparkle of life to Lionel’s eyes. “Thank God,” he whispered and he sounded like he wanted to cry.

Bastian was the one to ask the obvious. “What are you talking about, Xabi?”

“During your little tragic adventure in Iker’s house two days ago, Leo sent me a file with a special name and various locations that guy has been held captive. He asked me to find out where the current one was located and now I’ve finally found it.”

Understanding flashed in the eyes of everyone present.

“Cristiano,” Bastian whispered.

A longing entered Lionel's eyes. “We will finally bring him home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me just say that this chapter turned out a lot different than I expected.  
> I tried to do my best in researching burn wounds and I think I did quite well, but if you spot something that seems illogical, you are welcome to point it out to me, so I can fix it.
> 
> Also: Introducing Xabi was not planned, it just happened. But this story needs more humans anyway, so I'm not apologizing! :)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again an early update and a monstruous one too. :)
> 
> I got one single comment for my last update, so either some guys abandoned my fic or you don't like chapters that end on a happy note.  
> If it's the latter, I would like to dedicate this chapter here to the lovely restless5oul because it also ends on a rather happy note. :*  
> (The real reason is probably that I'm just too impatient.)
> 
> I'm sorry for not updating my other stories, but I want to finish this one first.  
> This chapter was such a pain in the ass because it looked so much different in my head. Also I caught a cold yesterday and I'm not really feeling well despite having a tattoo session on Monday, so there probably won't be an update until the end of next week.

 

  
Perhaps it would have been wise to use the following days as regeneration since so much had happened in such a short time span. Since Cristiano’s room was inhabitable now, Manuel had been moved to the only empty bed left – in Miroslav’s room – while Thomas had taken the couch in the living room.

However the only one who was actually resting was Manuel, everyone else was now training even harder. They hoped to get Cristiano without having to fight their way through, but that didn’t seem likely.

The building Xabi had located was an old mansion at the edge of the city that Iker had acquired a few years ago if reports were to be believed. It was perfect as a hide-out, no one would be looking there. However Thomas had his doubts.

“Don’t you think finding him was too easy?” he asked Lionel three days after they had returned from the hospital. “I mean, if Iker truly wanted to hide Cristiano’s location, he could have put a lot more effort in encrypting the file, he’s part of a secret agency after all.”

Lionel surprised him by agreeing with his thoughts. “You’re right, obviously it’s a trap to lure us out of our cover. I bet Iker will be there waiting for us.”

“Then why are we still going there without a real plan? Like the one we had when we rescued Robert.”

Lionel grimaced. “Oh yes, and that plan worked out perfectly well, right?” His voice was dripping with sarcasm, but then his eyes softened. “I’m just tired of carrying friends to their graves. There have been enough losses already; I don’t want to risk another life.”

Marco who had listened silently joined the conversation then. “By letting us walk straight into that trap?”

Lionel hesitated for a moment before motioning for them to follow him into the living room that seemed to have become their meeting room.

Bastian and Robert were already sitting on the couch waiting for them. When Lionel made no move to get the rest of the group, Thomas asked, “I get why you’re not including Manu, he still needs rest, but what about Miro?”

“When all of this started, I promised him I would never try to drag him into something that could be of any danger to him. He’s already way deeper in this mess than I ever wanted.” Lionel’s voice indicated he wouldn’t allow any argument. Thomas remained standing at the door, his eyes following Marco who was sitting down on the armrest right next to Robert and reaching for his hand absentmindedly.

Thomas felt a pang in his chest, his own fingers twitching in response as he saw Robert meeting his eyes with an anxious expression. Thomas tore his gaze away and tried to focus on Lionel again.

“I guess I can’t keep stalling this any longer,” Lionel admitted with a grim expression. “You’re all wondering what convinced me that there won’t be a fight when we get Cristiano out, right? Well, the reason is that I believe Iker will let us leave with him willingly.”

Everyone stared at Lionel as though he had grown a second head.

“Why would he do that?” Thomas asked eventually.

“Because I’m going to offer him the only thing that he wants more than revenge.” When everyone gave him a clueless look, he added, “Turning back time.”

It was entirely silent in the room after his statement. Eventually Bastian asked tentatively, “I thought you couldn’t do that? That you can only slow down time.”

“That’s true,” Lionel agreed before turning to Robert with a smile. “But _you_ can.”

Robert froze as all his heads turned to him. “Me?”

“I told you I couldn’t do it without you, Robert. That I couldn’t ask this from anyone else even though you’re the last person that should be making sacrifices for me.”

Thomas silently agreed. Robert however shook his head and resignation filled his eyes. “I told you I was prepared to do whatever it took to stop Iker.”

“I was surprised that you agreed without knowing the details of my plan. That you would still have this much faith in me even though I left you during a time that you could have needed my support.”

“I have forgiven you for that a long time ago,” Robert told him. “You were my mentor, so you will always have my loyalty. And when you asked me to help you, my life finally seemed to have a purpose.”

He sounded doubtful and it didn’t escape Lionel’s attention as well. “But now you think differently?”

Robert’s eyes shifted to Thomas, a warm smile appearing on his face as he stood up and walked over to the younger man. “Someone made me believe that perhaps I should stop searching for purpose in dying and start searching for purpose in living.”

Thomas couldn’t help the proud smile from spreading on his lips. If Robert was finally able to value his life just a little bit more, then the two of them meeting and falling in love with each other had resulted in one good thing at least.

Lionel looked between them with a troubled expression. “If you want to back out of this, I won’t be mad. There’s no shame in choosing your own life.”

“If I did that, we would continue to be haunted and never be free. Iker’s revenge already cost the lives of so many innocents including two of our own friends. If there’s a way to finally put an end to this, I will do it gladly.” Thomas felt his eyes widen as he tried to deny what Robert was saying. The worst part was that Thomas could relate to Robert’s opinion. There had been too much pain already; yet Thomas wasn’t willing to let Robert pay the price for it.

He grabbed the other man by the shoulder. “No, you are not going to play the martyr. I won’t let you.”

“Thomas, there’s no other way,” Robert argued before his hands came up to cup Thomas’ face. “Believe me, I don’t want to die. But you have to see the greater good here.”

“I don’t give a damn about the greater good!” Thomas told him vehemently. “Why does it always have to be you who has to make sacrifices for the sake of other people?”

Robert’s hands dropped to Thomas’ shoulders as well. “You heard Leo, it needs to be me.”

Thomas shook his head because there was no way he would let Robert die, no matter for what seemingly noble reason. Robert had been through so much, he deserved to finally find joy in his life.

Before he could respond though, Marco had stepped to his side, a furious expression on his face as he glared at Robert. “No, Thomas is right. You’re the last person who should have to give anything, even less your life. I don’t care if Iker will chase us to the end of the world.”

Robert didn’t seem very surprised by the backlash from both of them. “Cristiano is held captive as well as God knows how many other innocents who happen to have an ability. If I don’t do this, I sentence them all to death or worse. We don’t have another choice.”

A loud cough from the side cut off whatever Thomas and Marco wanted to respond. It was Lionel. “That’s not entirely true, not anymore. Though I doubt the alternative would be any better.”

Thomas felt relief flooding him at those words. “Anything is better than Robert dying.”

“Just tell us, Leo!” Marco demanded, his anger gone as well.

Lionel looked anxious, a stark contrast to his usually calm and collected demeanor. “I don’t know yet if it could really work. And even if it did, all of us would have to make a choice. One that’s not going to be easy, therefore I won’t burden you with it yet.”

Marco frowned. “You can’t just keep this from us!”

“I need to!” Lionel exclaimed. “Like I said, you aren’t going to like it either. Let’s just focus on convincing Iker and getting Cristiano back first. We can’t afford to do that when you guys are pondering over the sacrifices you need to make.”

Marco was hardly content with that answer, neither was Thomas. Even Robert was furious at this point. “No, Leo, we had a deal. No one else would come to harm.”

Lionel sighed, sounding tired all of a sudden. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but can we please discuss this after we got Cristiano back and Manu and Miro are ready to help us? We can’t decide something like this on our own, they all deserve to have a say in this as well.”

Thomas couldn’t really argue with that. Though he was glad that Robert would get to live, he was afraid what other sacrifice they would have to make. Judging by Lionel’s refusal to tell them yet, it was something just as severe. Thomas couldn’t bear the thought of losing somebody else, of consciously making the choice that would cost another friend’s life.

Didn’t they all deserve their happy ending?!

The despondent atmosphere looming over their heads was suddenly interrupted by a distraught Miroslav bursting into the room.  
“Guys, you need to come upstairs. I think Manu is having a vision.”

Thomas felt his heart sink. Their situation had been complicated enough; a vision to mess even further with them was the last thing they needed right now.

Nevertheless he hurried after Miroslav; Robert, Marco, Lionel and Bastian following him on his heels.

When they burst into Miroslav’s room, they found Manuel lying on the bed, clouded white eyes wide open and staring up at the ceiling. He wasn’t shaking or whimpering like he had done during those two times that he seemingly saw Thomas dying. But he wasn’t looking awestruck either, like the last time when he had got the vision of Miroslav flying.

Manuel’s body wasn’t moving at all except for the steady rhythm of his breathing. So at least whatever he was seeing wasn’t anything shocking.

They all waited, neither of them daring to say or do anything for fear of disrupting Manuel.

This vision took longer than the others; they must have been standing in the room for at least two minutes until Manuel frowned and his eyes cleared. The look in them was mostly confused. “Well, that was weird.”

Carefully Miroslav sat down beside him. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good, just failing to make sense of what I saw,” Manuel assured him with a soft smile.

Bastian approached the bed as well. “And what exactly did you see?”

“A church clock at nightfall, showing it was half past ten.” He swallowed. “The church was illuminated by an unnatural light as though the house right behind me was on fire. Then I blinked and suddenly that light was gone, but the church looked different, I don’t know how to describe it. Desolate maybe? I’m sure it was the same church then a moment ago, but it looked so much older. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Actually it does,” Lionel contradicted him, his eyes lighting up. “I did my research; Iker’s home was opposite a church. But there are no reports of a fire breaking out near it. Seems like our future is already set in stone and we are indeed going back in time.”

Not that it had ever been on debate, but it was still kind of creepy to get confirmation on that. Now they knew for sure that Lionel’s theory had been right; somehow they would make the time travel work.

Manuel and Miroslav both stared at the latter in shock. “We’re doing what?!”

Lionel forced a smile. “We’re going to save Iker’s parents. And for that we have to jump thirty years into the past.”

Both men were speechless, obviously struggling to cope with that news. Thomas turned to Lionel.  
“I know you said you’d like to keep the details until we got Cristiano back. But I’m sure it’s not too much to ask how you suddenly managed to master time travel.”

That brought the attention of everybody in the room to Lionel.

“Fine. But like I said, I couldn’t make it work without Robert.”

“Why not?” Robert asked further.

“I can only stop time and even that for a very limited amount of time. They key to going beyond the possible is you, Robert.” Finally the smile on his face was genuine while Robert seemed to be just as clueless as Thomas and probably the others as well.  
“I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. I can merely copy powers.”

“You see, that’s where you’re wrong. If you just copied them, you’d get the exact same ability as the original owner. The same power but also the same limits.”

“Yes, that’s what happens. What-“

“No, it’s not,” Lionel interrupted him patiently. “That’s what we all thought for much too long. As your mentor I should have seen it a lot sooner. You don’t simply copy an ability, you enhance them.”

It was entirely silent in the room. Robert seemed like he wanted to argue, but found that he couldn’t as he recalled the few times that he had acquired an ability.

Lionel added, “Think back to when you froze Mario.” Robert inhaled sharply, but other than that he didn’t let it show how much that memory still hurt him. “It took Mario months to turn one single man into ice and you could turn an entire room to an ice hall at the first try. Mario has never done something as big as that.”

Robert shook his head though the movement made him look like a stubborn child. “Mario was always careful not to hurt anyone. Maybe that’s why he never explored the limits of his ability. It’s not like we can ask him about it.”

But as Thomas thought about it, he realized Lionel might be right. Apparently Marco had come to the same conclusion because he turned to Robert as well. “When Thomas lost control three days ago, we took turns suppressing his ability while he was sleeping. I always needed to take a break after just one hour, you could go on for two or more.”

Slowly the doubt in Robert’s eyes made way for realization. Slowly. “But maybe that’s just because I’m so familiar with his ability. Marco spent almost two years suppressing my ability, that’s a very long time.” He sounded like he mostly wanted to convince himself.

Thomas got the reason for his denial though. Robert had always been afraid of what he could do with his power. To learn now that he might be even stronger than they all had thought must be frightening.

That’s why he felt kind of sorry for having to add something as well. “The day we met and I coaxed Manu and Philipp to help me getting you out of the hospital. When you were lying on my couch and I thought you had died. You made me heal you even though I shouldn’t have been able to fix that much damage, not after having denied my gift for so many years. Even when I healed Manu, I could only do so because I wasn't alone. Marco was with me. And you.”

Robert stared at him with wide eyes, looking lost. He jerked when Marco reached out to touch his neck tenderly. “It explains why you are having so many difficulties whenever you acquire a new gift. Because your ability is like a catalyst and the ability reaches a level of power that it shouldn't have.”

Robert didn't respond beyond slightly leaning into Marco's hand, letting the touch soothe him while he seemed to think it through. Eventually he met Lionel's gaze.

“So you want me to learn your ability? Even though you always said that it is too powerful for me?”

Lionel sighed. “We don't have another choice. You enhancing my gift is the one one term in my whole formula that cannot be changed.”

“I'm afraid,” Robert admitted quietly and Thomas had to bite to his lip hard to keep from interrupting them.

“There's no need to be. I'm sure it will work.”

“No, that's not what I mean. I'm afraid for the same reason that I was careful not to acquire Thomas' gift.”

Thomas tensed at the mention of his name. He had made Robert feel afraid?

When Lionel looked just as clueless, Robert added in a haunted tone, “The voice in my head. I've got used to its absence when I was with Marco since he was suppressing my ability ever since I killed Mario. But when I left him, it returned as though it had never left. I'm afraid what it will make me do.” Robert's voice broke at that and Thomas couldn't stand it any longer. He put his arms around the other man and pulled him into his arms, not caring that the sudden movement resulted in Marco being pulled along, so that his side was pressed tightly against Thomas' chest.

Robert pulled Thomas even closer, a shiver of fear running down his back. “I don't want to hurt anyone else. Up to now my gift never was good for anything but pain. I can't quite believe that for once something good may come out of it.”

Thomas smiled into Robert's hair. “Then we'll let this be the first. It's been about fucking time.”

Robert chuckled into Thomas' shoulder and the younger man relaxed at the sound of it, his hands slightly loosening their iron grip on Robert. He expected Robert to pull away, but nothing of the sort happened. Thomas glanced at Marco nervously, but was surprised to find no disapproval there. The blond looked thoughtful, his lips pressed together into a hard line as though he tried to keep himself from saying something. But when his eyes met Thomas’, he only gave him an approving nod. So Thomas dared to let himself relax against Robert’s body, inhaling his scent and only realizing then how much he needed this, to feel Robert’s body in his arms. They remained standing like this for a longer time than what was appropriate, neither willing to let go just yet until Robert broke the silence.  
“Alright; I will do it. But only after we got Cristiano out. I can’t afford to have someone whispering murder into my ear while we’re doing this.”

Lionel nodded. “Of course.”

Robert pulled back from Thomas, just when Marco suggested in a tender voice. “I could suppress your ability again if you want me to. So you wouldn’t have to hear the voices again.”

A sad smile appeared on Robert’s face. “Thanks, but you know I can’t do that. If you suppressed my powers now, I wouldn’t have a chance to get used to Leo’s power. And I doubt I could fulfill my part in this plan without some practice first.” Robert raised his hands to Marco’s face as though he wanted to smooth the lines of worry on his forehead. “You can help me deal with the voices once all of this is over.”

Marco sighed. “I’m tired of you always putting someone else’s wellbeing first. Including mine.” His gaze shifted to Thomas. “I don’t want you to be unhappy, Robert. I should be grateful that you can still bear to look at me, to still care about me. I can’t possibly ask for more.”

Thomas appreciated Marco’s attempt at being the better man, but he could also hear what Marco had tried to hide. That he wasn’t ready to let Robert go. He probably would never be. And of course Robert knew that as well.

“I’m not unhappy, Marco. And please don’t try to make me look like a selfless person. If I was, I wouldn’t have let the three of us get into such a messed up situation. Where each of us is suffering because I’m can’t let either of you go, not completely.”

Thomas shook his head. “Falling in love doesn’t make you a selfish person. You tried to fight it, remember? You didn’t tell Marco because he was with Mario already and you didn’t tell me because you thought Leo’s plan would kill you anyway.”

“Yes and look how that worked out. If I had been strong enough to keep my feelings to myself, the two of you wouldn’t be suffering right now.”

“Don’t you dare take all the blame for that,” Thomas argued, his voice barely above a whisper. “It always takes two for a relationship. Or in our case three.” After a short pause he added, “We’re in this mess together. So we will also find a way out of it together.” He turned his head to Marco. “All of us.”

Marco smirked. “Stop looking at me like you’re expecting me to object. I won’t argue with you as long as your concern is for Robert.”

Thomas felt a smile tugging at his mouth. “I was expecting you to be angry _because_ my concern is for him. You know, since he is just chose you and you always struck me as a possessive boyfriend.”

Marco’s smile wavered. “My possessiveness was a result of my insecurities. I could see that Robert loved you every time you looked at each other. And I was afraid because I expected him to choose you over me.”

Thomas fell silent after that. Now there was no need for insecurities anymore, Robert’s decision had put an end to them. It was kind of ironic that this seemed to have resulted in a turning point for Thomas and Marco. Now they weren’t regarding each other as rivals anymore.

It was too soon to tell what they would become, but Thomas was hoping that maybe they could be friends. Maybe someday…

 

***

 

A few hours later that night they headed for the address that Xabi had given them. Manuel and Miroslav were staying behind for obvious reasons.

Thomas felt uncomfortable as they walked towards the secluded building, his eyes scanning the surroundings for an ambush. Lionel was walking ahead with an enviable calmness, the others following warily. Bastian clearly was the most nervous one and no one blamed him. This was exactly the kind of situation where he would usually turn himself invisible, just in case. To walk right into a trap without protection was against every survival instinct.

Thomas felt a tingle in his spine as though they were being watched, but maybe that was just him being paranoid.

They got into the house without any problem, Lionel managed to unlock the very simple door within a few moments. Inside there was absolutely nothing indicating that someone was being held captive; it looked just like a normal house. Nothing out of the ordinary except for one little detail.

“Hey, is it just me or do you also hear that sound?” Marco whispered.

Everyone listened and indeed, a few seconds later Thomas also heard it. There was a muffled hiss that sounded like it was coming from an animal.

“It sounds like it is coming from below our feet,” Thomas said.

Bastian frowned. “But we're still on the main floor and there are no stairs indicating that there's a basement or something like that.” He was right, there was only a pompous staircase that lead to the rooms at the upper floor.

But there it was again, a low hiss that was definitely coming from the ground.

Suddenly Lionel stepped to the picture over the fireplace, his fingers gliding over the surface as though he was searching for something.

Bastian frowned. “What are you doing? Searching for a secret entrance or what?” He had probably meant it as a joke, but Lionel nodded.  
“Something like that, yes. When we broke into his house, the cells for his prisoners were located in the basement. Judging by that sound, that also applies in this case, so there has to be a hidden door, staircase or elevator that enables access to a basement.”

Before anyone could respond, he jerked as though he had been hit by something, his hand coming up to press against the side of his throat. He winced, but otherwise seemed to be fine. When he dropped his hand, Thomas could see a little dart between his fingers and he realized it must have contained a bit of the drug that blocked abilities.

The familiar voice coming from above made Thomas hurl around.   
“Sorry about this, Lionel, but I couldn’t have your power ruin our little chat.” It was Iker. He was leaning on the handrail of the staircase, standing next to him was a guard with a gun who had presumably shot Lionel.  
Iker turned to Robert with a little smile. “Hello Robert. It’s nice to see you again.”

Robert’s eyes were wide in fear and he took a step backwards. Thomas couldn’t blame him, after all Robert had endured a lot of torture under Iker’s closest confident, Sergio. Iker didn't miss Robert's fear either. “I understand why the feeling isn't mutual. Sergio went a bit too far with you.”

His words sent a wave of anger through Thomas. “A bit?! He was halfway dead when we found him!”

Iker turned to him curiously. “I see Robert still is a sore point for you. Under different circumstances I would respect that, but I've seen the surveillance tape.” His expression darkened. “I've seen that it was you who killed Sergio. He was a dear friend of mine, so I advise you to keep your mouth shut if you don't want to die tonight.”

Thomas glared at the older man, but when he felt Robert's hand at his shoulder, giving it a warning squeeze, he pressed his lips together to keep from saying anything.

Iker turned to Lionel. “I've been expecting ever since you got Robert back. You kept me waiting.”

“How did you know we would be coming here?”

“Don't try to act dumb, Lionel, it doesn't suit you. Like I said, I watched the surveillance tapes. Each one. So I knew right away that you read the file about Cristiano.”

Lionel bit his lip. “You were hoping for that right when you brought Cristiano here, right? That's why his file was so easy to encrypt, you wanted me to find him.”

“It worked, didn't it?” Iker retorted with a proud grin. “You're here. Though I was surprised you didn't even try to hide yourselves and sneak in unnoticed. So either you aren't as intelligent as I thought or you wanted me to see you. Which is it?”

Lionel's gaze flickered over the others before once again meeting Iker's eyes. “We want to make a deal with you.”

For the first time Iker seemed to be surprised. “A deal? I'm sorry, but I don't think you are in the right position to be making a deal with me. I've got your friend, but you on the other hand have nothing that I want.”

“Yes, we do.” A spark appeared in Lionel's eyes and almost challengingly he added, “Your parents.”

The change in Iker's pose was stupendous. He froze, his smile wiped from his face as he stared at Lionel with confusion. “I don't understand.”

Lionel stepped closer to the stairs, looking up to Iker as he explained.

“They are the reason why you're haunting us, aren't they? A man with an ability killed them when you were still a child and you vowed to spend the rest of your life making our kind pay for that.”

Iker's voice was dangerously low. “How do you know about that?”

“Their mysterious deaths made quite a few headline at the time.”

Iker shook his head. “No, that's not what I meant. How did you know that it was someone with an ability? The police and every report I've ever read ticked it off as a heart attack in both cases.”

Lionel raised an eyebrow. “But that's not what you told them, right? You were convinced that your parents had been murdered, but you were just a little kid, so no one believed you.”

“Stop manipulating me!” Iker shouted, his carefully kept facade crumbling. “They're dead because of you freaks and I'm going to make each and every one of you pay!”

But Thomas knew from his raw tone that Lionel had got him right where he had wanted. He joined Lionel's side to pick up where the older man had left off. “You allowed yourself to be consumed by hatred, Iker, you're riven by grief. But we're here to offer you a way out of it. By undoing the crime that man committed and giving you a chance to start over with your life.”

Iker was silent, waiting for Thomas to elaborate.

“We're going back in time to that day your parents died and we're going to save them.”

“How?” Iker asked and sounded more vulnerable than Thomas had ever heard him.

“By killing that guy before he can harm them.”

Iker stared at him and Thomas could see the conflicting emotions in his eyes. He wanted so hard to believe in hope, but years of hatred were not so easy to discard. “Why would you want to help me?”

It was Robert who answered that. “Because this needs to end. There's already been so much pain and death on both sides. Please help us build a future where we can finally live in peace.”

“Peace?” Iker repeated irritated. “Your powers are a danger to mankind!”

Robert began to walk up the stairs, approaching Iker with a determent face. The guard watched every step nervously, obviously unsure if he should stop him. Robert came to a halt right in front of Iker and even from the distance Thomas could see his eyes softening.  
“A wolf is a danger to a deer as well. Would that be enough to justify killing all wolves?” Instead of waiting for a reply he continued, “No one of us chose to get a gift, we were born with it. All we want is to live our lives without having to be afraid. Please don't let your pain and hatred blind your heart. Did you know that I gained Cristiano's ability to manipulate minds?” Iker's eyes widened as he realized what Robert was saying. “No? Well, if I were as cruel as you believe me to be, I would have made your own guard shoot you already. But you're still alive.”

Iker stared at him for a long time. “How do I know that this isn't a trap?”

“You don't,” Robert replied. “You don't have another choice but to trust us if you want to see your parents again. So you've got to choose what's more important to you, your parents or revenge.”

What followed was another long silence while Iker was fighting an inner battle. When he spoke eventually, he sounded tired. “Fine. If you promise to save my parents, I will let Cristiano go and I will stop hunting your kind. But if you try to cross me, I will kill each and every one of you.”

Thomas closed his eyes in relief. The first step was made, now all they had to do was succeed in their mission.

They all followed Iker who walked over to the large fireplace, raising his hand to pull at the candlestick to the right of the picture and the part of the wall including the fireplace and the picture swung to the side, revealing a narrow staircase leading downward.

“This is so cool,” Bastian said admiringly.

Once again it was Lionel who was the one of their group to walk ahead, right behind Iker. Bastian followed him, then Robert, Thomas and Marco.

What they saw when they reached the end of the stairs made them stop in their tracks. It was a white high-security cell like the one Thomas and Marco had been held captive in, looking so foreign compared to the otherwise old-fashioned house. Cristiano had been sitting on the bed, but when he saw them he jumped up only to freeze when he spotted Lionel.

“Leo?” He sounded like he had seen a ghost and in a way that was true. After all they hadn't seen each other in two years.

Lionel smiled, his warm eyes filled with regret. “Hi Cris.”

Cristiano's shock made way to fury. “Where have you been all this time? I needed you, we all needed you.”

“I know,” Lionel whispered. “And I'm sorry for leaving you. But I couldn't look into your eyes anymore. You always told me that I was wrong about making Robert suppress his ability and if I had listened to you, Mario wouldn't have died. I left so I wouldn't have to see the judgment in your eyes.”

“You're such a coward!” Cristiano retorted and Thomas had never heard so much hurt in his voice. “You had no right to leave me just like that. You didn't even say goodbye, you just disappeared. Do you know how long I've waited, hoping you would return one day?”

“I'm sorry,” Lionel said once again as he stepped to the glass, his hand coming up to touch the barrier separating them.

But the moment he did, something appeared out of the dark corner of the cell and finally Thomas understood where the hissing sound had been coming from them. Lionel railed back in surprise as the large black panther threw himself against the glass, teeth bared threateningly.

“Stop it,” Cristiano demanded as though the panther was able to understand him. “He's a friend, he wasn't trying to hurt me.”

The panther narrowed his eyes at Lionel, his tail whipping from one side to the other before looking up at Cristiano expectantly.

Thomas turned to Iker. “You better have a very good explanation for this.”

“The panther is the reason why I didn't lock Cristiano away in my house like most of my other prisoners. I needed Cristiano to use his ability and make that panther switch back into his human form.”

“He's a human?!” Thomas queried just when Lionel asked. “Why?”

“Yes, he's a human. Though I'm not sure if that is his real form or the panther. He spent more time as an animal in this cell than as a human.” Thomas stared at the predator, noting how unnatural his dark brown eyes looked. They did indeed look more like that of a human...

“And to answer your question, Lionel, he was of more use to me in his human form because as an animal he can't use his ability.”

Lionel stared at the panther in shock. “Wait, so he can shape-shift and has _another_ ability?”

“Yes. But I don't think we're here to talk about him, are we?”

“Right,” Lionel agreed absentmindedly.

Iker turned to Cristiano. “Your friends and I made a deal. You are free now.” His gaze dropped to the big cat beside Cristiano. “All of you.”

With that he slid a card through the lock on the door and it opened. Cristiano eyed him with narrow eyes as though he had trouble believing all of this. The panther had frozen and only took a step outside when Cristiano crossed the threshold and threw himself into Lionel's arms. “God, I hate you. I hate how weak you made me feel in these two years that I missed you.” Despite his words he tightened his grip on the smaller man before eventually letting go and crouching down to the animal still eying him as though it was waiting for guidance. “It's over, Mats, you're free now.” When the cat still didn't move, he added in an almost harsh tone. “Go!” The panther's eyes widened then it fled up the stairs and was gone before Thomas had even realized what was happening. Lionel frowned. “Why did you make him leave?”

“We became friends while we were down here. But he needs some time alone to find himself again. Maybe one day I will see him again.” Cristiano smiled before looking at all of them with a raised eyebrow. “Let's leave, I never want to see this place again. Besides I have the feeling I missed a lot, so you have a lot of explaining to do.”

Marco snorted. “That's an understatement.”

When they all walked up the stairs, Thomas noticed that Robert had a deep frown on his brow.

“What's wrong, Robert?”

“Nothing, it's just... We got Cristiano back, we convinced Iker, everything worked out perfectly.”

“And that is bothering you because...?”

“It just seems too good to be true. I've got the feeling that something bad will happen.”

Thomas had to agree. “Well, Leo wouldn't tell us about what sacrifice we will have to make for his plan to work.”

Robert met his eyes. “We could always go for the original plan.”

Thomas couldn't help it. Ignoring the looks from the others including Marco he grabbed Robert's shoulders firmly, waiting until he got Robert's full attention. “I told you. Sacrificing your life is not an option.”

Robert didn't reply, but resumed walking. Thomas' eyes met those of Marco who had watched them silently. There were no words required, he could see that Marco was on the same page as Thomas.

Nothing was worth sacrificing Robert's life. Absolutely nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, this guest appearance towards the end wasn't entirely random. Mats will return for the sequel. :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back to health, I got my tattoo of Robert, so finally I can update this story. ;)  
> I meant to post this chapter yesterday, but my dad got admitted to the hospital, so I couldn't finish it.  
> This one is REALLY complicated, so I advise you to read it thouroughly. I wouldn't be surprised if you still had to re-read it two times until you got all the important points (I'm so proud that I finally figured it out without tapping into a plothole^^).
> 
> This chapter finally explains all the details of Leo's plan, so I'm playing with open cards now. :)

 

 

When they returned home, the first thing that needed to be settled was of course the sleeping arrangement. With Cristiano’s room burnt down and Manuel occupying the free bed in Miroslav’s room, it was either Thomas or Cristiano on the couch and the other sharing the room with Lionel.

Seriously Thomas hadn’t thought that this would turn out to be a problem considering how close these two men had been. Obviously he had underestimated just how many things both needed to work out first. Even though they were visibly happy to be reunited, they started arguing the moment they walked through the front door. Thomas had the feeling that they were used to teasing each other, but not like this. And the problem was that both of them had a point.

“You should have talked to me before you left,” Cristiano started once the door closed behind them.

“I had no idea you still wanted to talk to me! After all if you had been the one to train Robert like you had wanted to, then none of this would have happened.” 

“How could you even think like that? I told you so many times that you’re too important to me to just let you walk away.”

While most people would have been taken aback by the sweet little admission amidst all these accusations, it did little to lessen Lionel’s anger. “Stop making this about me! When I left, I thought you would take care of Robert and Marco, but clearly I was wrong.”

“I tried to!” Cristiano retorted seething. “But it’s not like you did a better job than me. First you left and for years we didn’t hear a peep from you and then you finally write a letter but only to send Robert to his death.”

From the corner of his eye Thomas could see that Robert wanted to intervene, but Lionel beat him to it. “So  _now_ you care about him? That comes as quite a surprise considering you tried to kill him ever since he attempted to get in contact with me.”

Cristiano sighed. “What was I supposed to think when I read that letter where he confessed that he had been sleeping with Marco? Everything was finally starting to make sense; those two sharing a room so frequently, Robert avoiding me, Marco suffering from nightmares… And it’s not like Robert’s feelings for him came out of the blue, it was an open secret that Robert was in love with him.”

From Robert Thomas already knew what Cristiano had been thinking, so he wasn’t very surprised, but Lionel, Bastian, Manuel and Miroslav were all dumbfounded. Then Lionel began to laugh hysterically though it sounded not amused at all.  
“Cristiano Ronaldo, why am I even surprised? You have spotted all the right hints and like always you came to the wrong conclusion.”

Cristiano’s eyes flickered to Robert before returning to Lionel though there were the first sparks of doubt in them. “What are you talking about?”

But it was Marco who answered. “Because Robert wasn’t the one who took advantage, I did.”

Cristiano frowned. “But you were grieving for Mario, the one seeking comfort.”

Marco’s face darkened, his eyes filling with regret and self-loathing. Thomas knew this was the moment of truth; the moment Marco would break the silence on his darkest secret. “I didn’t seek comfort, not at first. What I craved was a lot more sinister.”   
At that all eyes turned to Marco, the tension in the room almost tangible. Marco’s eyes filled with tears and Thomas couldn’t help the sympathy from rising in his chest, yet he kept quiet.  
“I hurt Robert. Too many times for me to count.” His voice was wavering as he tried to maintain his composure.

Robert grabbed him by the shoulders, staring at him almost pleadingly. “You don’t have to do this, Marco. No one else needs to know.”

But Marco shook his head. “No, I let you take the blame for too long already. I didn’t say anything to Cristiano because as long as he was hunting you, there was a chance for me to find you again.” Marco raised his hand to Robert’s face. “It’s time they see me for who I really am.” He turned back to Cristiano, taking a deep breath before dropping the bomb. 

“I raped Robert.”

His words were followed by shocked silence as various eye pairs turned to Robert. Cristiano was the first to speak and his voice was deadly low. “Robert, tell me it isn’t true.”

But Robert only dropped his gaze to the ground and that was answer enough. Cristiano’s eyes returned to Marco and not once had Thomas seen so much coldness in them. It was hard to tell whether he wanted to shout at Marco or punch his face in.

However it was Lionel who addressed the blond. “Leave.” How a single word could hold so much contempt was remarkable. 

Marco seemed to have anticipated this reaction because he only nodded, not daring to look at anyone as he turned away.  
But he was stopped by Robert’s hand shooting out to grab his arm tightly.  
“He’s not going anywhere.” Thomas was the only one not surprised by that.

Lionel stared at him as though he had lost his mind. “Robert, I won’t have him living in the same house as you. Not after what he did.”

But Thomas could see the defiance in Robert’s eyes. “If you send him away, he won’t be the only one walking out of this house.”

“No,” Thomas protested before he had even realized that he was about to speak. When Robert looked at him, his eyes softened a bit. “You’ve been more understanding of this situation than I could have ever hoped for, Thomas. I know I couldn’t possibly ask for more, but I need to.” Thomas knew all his arguments were done for when Robert stepped closer to him, gripping his shoulders to get his full attention. “I promised Marco I wouldn’t leave him. I broke that promise once because I thought I was doing the right thing for a change and look how that worked out.” Thomas shuddered when Robert’s hands moved from his shoulders to the sides of his throat, his fingers stroking over the sensitive skin soothingly. “I won’t do that again. Not until Marco is the one sending me away.”

Marco approached Robert from behind. “That will never happen. I wish I had the strength to do that, so you could be with Thomas.” 

Robert smiled sadly then he leaned to the side to place a soft kiss on Marco’s lips. Once again Thomas couldn’t look away as Marco raised his hand to the back of Robert’s head and prevented him from pulling back. The kiss wasn’t heated; it was only meant to comfort them both.

When they finally let go of each other, Thomas spoke again. “I hate how you always manage to do this to me.”

“Do what?” Robert asked and paled visibly. Apparently he had come to the wrong conclusion.

“To make me see your point.”

Robert exhaled in relief. “Thank you.” It wasn’t quite clear to Thomas for what exactly he was thankful; maybe for trying to understand, maybe for allowing Marco to stay or maybe even for accepting that he was losing out on Marco.

That didn’t make any of this easier though…

The others were still more than distrustful and once again Lionel was the one to speak his mind. “Robert, I don’t think you are able to see things clearly. Marco’s grief was no excuse to do something so horrible. He-“

“I know,” Robert interrupted him firmly. “Believe me, Leo, _I know._ But if anyone has the right to send Marco away, it’s me. And I will never do that, I love him too much.”

“You still love him?” Lionel asked disbelieving with a confused glance at Thomas.

Robert hesitated, not because he was suddenly doubting his feelings but because he was unsure how everyone would take the decision he had made.

And Thomas figured it was time that he stepped up to Robert’s and Marco’s aid, after all the three of them had talked about this  _together.  
_ “Please, Leo. You’re right, what Marco did cannot be excused and there’s no way he can ever make it up to Robert. But this is between them and if Robert is asking us not to hold it against Marco, then we should at least try to respect his wish.”

Lionel didn’t respond but Cristiano. “How can you be okay with this? Last time I checked you were doing everything in your power to protect him, so I thought your feelings for him ran deeper than ordinary friendship. What happened to that?”

“Yes, I love him,” Thomas agreed and no matter how often he said it, the words would never cease to burn him from the inside. “But it’s because I love him, that I can’t oppose him on this matter. A part of me understands why he wants to help Marco; why he can’t choose me.” He felt the sting of tears in his eyes and it took him a moment to remember that what he had just said was news for almost everyone in this room.  
Manuel stepped forward, staring at Thomas as though he was sure he had misunderstood him. “Hold on. So Robert and Marco are final?”

“Yes, they are,” Thomas agreed and now he couldn’t hold the tears back any longer.

He didn’t reject Robert when the older man put his arms around him to pull him close. It made everything better and worse at the same time. Because it took him every ounce of will power not to turn his head and draw comfort from Robert’s lips like Marco had done. He didn’t have that right, not anymore. Maybe he never had it to begin with…

Marco finally broke the silence, sounding devastated. “We’re hurting him, Robert. You’re trying to heal me, but at what cost?”

Robert began to tremble and instinctively Thomas tightened his hold as though that would help. Robert’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I can’t leave you, Marco. Not again.”

“I know. But by being with me, you’re breaking him.”

“No, that’s not going to happen,” Robert argued, but there was fear in his voice now. “None of you will fall apart, I won’t let that happen.”

There was a cough from the side and they found Lionel watching them with a troubled expression. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem for much longer anyway.”

Robert frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Remember that plan I refused to tell you about? I wanted to wait for a few days, so we all had some time to let the recent events settle. But I guess I can’t keep stalling this for much longer, so I might as well tell you now.” He walked into the living room and motioned for them to follow. “Please take a seat, all of you. It’s a long story and I have a feeling there will be a long discussion afterwards.”

They all obeyed with Miroslav sitting on the chair, Manuel and Bastian on the armrest at each side and the others squeezing themselves on the couch.

Lionel was the only one who remained standing, not focusing on anybody. When he started speaking in a grave voice, he appeared a lot older.

“The initial plan was that only Robert and I would go back in time. In order to do that we need to combine our abilities which will open what could be described as a gateway. Once we achieved that, one of us has to concentrate on holding it open, otherwise it would collapse. That duty would have fallen to me, so Robert could focus on killing the mystery man before he was able to kill Iker’s parents. Since that guy has an ability as well and apparently one that allows him to kill people without visibly wounding them, Robert would have to use an ability as well, which of course would be the freezing ability he got from Mario.”

“Which would most likely have resulted in both of them killing each other,” Cristiano concluded.

Lionel nodded. “Yes, that was the plan.”

Marco straightened. “Well, why won’t you just let me go with the two of you? I could suppress the guy’s ability, so Robert can freeze him without getting killed. Problem solved.”

“Unfortunately it’s not that easy. Like I told Iker, I did my research and from the police report I gathered the identity of the guy. Let’s just say that his ability is far too powerful for you to suppress it. If anyone could to it, it is Robert.” Lionel finally focused on the latter. “Which leads me to the alternative. Because until a few days ago, no one else but Robert had an ability that could be used for killing someone. Making yourself invisible, seeing the future, healing people, getting into someone’s head, suppressing an ability and slowing down time are too passive, so that left me with no one to turn to but Robert.” His eyes landed on Thomas. “But not anymore.”

Thomas finally understood what he was getting at. “My fire ability.”

Lionel nodded and everyone’s face lit up while Marco spoke. “So Robert could suppress that guy’s ability and Thomas could burn him.”

“Yes, that’s the idea, but there’s a catch to it. I will come to that later, first there is a fundamental decision to be made. This mission will stand or fall with your answer. When I believed that it would only be Robert and me doing this, I didn’t feel the need to say it, but things have changed.” He let his eyes wander over all the people sitting in his living room. “I didn’t expect that I would see old faces again.” He smiled briefly at Marco and Cristiano. “And even less did I expect that I would meet new people that would become so important to me, almost like a family.” He took a deep breath. “That’s why I can’t keep on casting a veil of silence over this. I already destroyed my family once by not saying anything when I should have. I can’t do that again. You deserve to have a say in this as well, some of you more than others.”

Thomas’ relief had vanished by now as they all held their breaths.

“If we just go back in time – no matter if it’s a few of us or everybody – and prevent that Iker loses his parents, our future, hell our whole lives will change.”

He had barely finished his sentence when Manuel shifted his focus to Miroslav. “Yes, but isn’t that a blessing? Iker won’t grow up to hate our kind, he won’t hire agents to hunt us. No one of us will have to suffer.” Carefully he reached out to touch the tip of Miroslav’s wing softly. “You would be able to fly just like I saw it happen in that vision.”

Miroslav’s eyes widened, his wings twitching longingly in an involuntary response to Manuel’s words.

But that wasn’t the only wrong they would be undoing, Thomas realized as he let himself think further. “If Iker hadn’t been after us, we wouldn’t have met Sergio. And Philipp wouldn’t have died.”

The change in the room was instant. Suddenly there was hope on everyone’s face at the prospect of getting their dead friend back; well, everyone save for Cristiano who was irritated as well as shocked and only now did Thomas remember that Cristiano hadn’t even known that Philipp was dead.

But Lionel wasn’t done yet. “Yes, that’s true. But there’s even more.” His warm brown eyes were incredibly soft as they settled on Robert and Marco. “If Iker hadn’t been after us, Cristiano and I would have never met. We would have never seen the need to protect others that were like us.” He paused before adding, “We wouldn’t have found either of you, so you two and Mario would have never met.”

Thomas found himself struggling to imagine that. The fates of Mario, Marco and Robert had become so entangled that it was impossible mentioning one of them without imagining the other two.

Lionel's words made Marco tense, his eyes growing wide and all of a sudden he looked less like the man he was and more like a lost boy. “And if the three of us had never met, Mario would still be alive.”

“Exactly,” Lionel agreed, watching Marco’s reaction closely.

The little smile that appeared on the blond’s face - that spark of hope - was unlike anything Thomas had ever seen. “I’m in. I don’t care what it takes.”

Why was Lionel looking almost sad now? “I was afraid you would say that.”

“Why?” Thomas asked. “It’s like we’re getting a second chance, an opportunity to save the lives that have been taken along the way.”

Lionel sighed. “Because for one we wouldn’t be together like we are now. Think about it, we all know how to defend ourselves and to fight. If we change the past, it’s still possible that somehow someone else finds out about abilities and steps up – maybe Sergio, maybe someone else entirely. And then there won’t be anyone who could stop that new threat.”

Thomas could only shake his head. “No, that’s not a reason. Let someone else save the world for once. Who knows, maybe some of us will still meet one day.”

Lionel only dropped his eyes, a reaction Thomas couldn’t quite place.

But Cristiano could. “This isn’t the only reason, is it, Leo? You wouldn’t have told us if all your concerns were based on vague assumptions only.”

It was obvious that Lionel contemplated not responding to that, but under Cristiano’ piercing gaze he gave in. “You’re right, Cris, there is something else. If we save Iker’s parents, you would have never shown up at Robert’s doorstep and told him that there are others like him out there.”

Cristiano only frowned in confusion. “And how is that a reason?”

“I promised to never tell a soul.” His eyes flickered up to Robert. “I was his mentor, he needed to tell me. But it’s not my story to tell.”

They all turned to Robert and Thomas could feel his heartbeat speeding up anxiously. 

Robert hesitated before eventually closing his eyes in defeat. “A week before Cristiano came to take me in, I tried to commit suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping pills.” A grimace that seemed to be intended as a forced smile appeared on Robert’s face. “Obviously that didn’t quite work out.”

Thomas could hear his own blood pumping in his veins, his mind panicking at the knowledge of just how close he had been to losing Robert forever. Well, they hadn’t known each other at that time, but still. To know that Robert had actually  _tried_ to take his own life was a crushing revelation.

Marco looked at Robert with a shocked expression. “You wanted to kill yourself? How come you never told me about this?”

Robert shrugged. “I didn’t see any reason to burden you with that knowledge.”

His answer only intensified the pain on Marco's face, but he didn't get to respond when Lionel continued.  
“Robert told me if it hadn't been for Cris finding him and the friendship to Mario and you, he would certainly have tried again.”

Marco's gaze flickered from Robert to Lionel and back multiple times as he realized what choice he was forced to make. “So basically you're saying that I have to decide which one should die. Mario or Robert.”

Thomas closed his eyes. This was a decision where Marco would lose, no matter how he chose.

Robert seemed to be the only one taking the news calmly. “It's alright, Marco. I know that Mario was the most important person in your life.” He smiled. “I won't be mad that you choose his life over mine.”

“Stop it!” Thomas said as he gripped Robert's arms tightly. “You're not going to die. I told you I won't let that happen.” He turned to Marco with a grim expression. “I understand that you miss Mario, he has been taken from you much too soon. But I won't let you sacrifice Robert just to get him back.”

Lionel added, “May I remind you, Marco, that even if you choose to save Mario, you two will never end up together since you won't even get to meet.”

Marco narrowed his eyes. “This isn't about me wanting to be with Mario. I always believed that if I ever had the chance to get him back, I would take it no matter what the cost. And there was a time when I would have traded Robert's life for his without hesitation.” He stepped forward and ignoring Thomas' arms that were still wrapped tightly around Robert, he leaned forward and this time he was the one putting a soft kiss to his lover's lips. “But not anymore.”

Robert shook his head. “No, Marco, this is probably your only chance to get Mario back. That was all you ever wanted. Please don't sacrifice that just for me.”

“If it was anyone else, I would probably let them die and I don't care if that makes me a cruel and selfish person. But not you. I can't let you down like that again.” Marco smiled sadly and the first tear dropped from his eyes. “And besides, Mario wouldn't have wanted me to trade his life in for someone else. I know that now.” He took a step back, a shiver running down his spine as he tried and failed not to cry. Robert was too taken aback by his words to move, so instead Thomas was the one to move forward and pull Marco into his arms.

“Thank you,” he whispered into the other man's hairline. Marco didn't reply, yet he tightened his grip on Thomas and let himself cry. Thomas couldn't imagine how it must feel like having to reject his greatest dream.

He didn't know how long they remained standing like this until Lionel picked up where he had left off. “Just to be clear. You're all willing to pass on the only opportunity at righting the past including the deaths of Mario and Philipp?”

Thomas winced at his words because it felt like they let their two friends die all over again. “Trading Robert's life for theirs wouldn't be any less wrong. And I don't think anyone of us could live with the knowledge of letting that happen.”

Miroslav stood up and gave Lionel an irritated look. “But if we don’t want to change our lives, doesn’t that mean we can’t go back in time?”

“Under normal circumstances, yes. That was another reason why I thought there was no use addressing that matter as long as it was just Robert and me. But now we have a way.” And his eyes landed on Manuel.

Cristiano frowned. “Him? How are visions going to help us with maintaining certain timelines?”

“Not timelines, Cris,” Lionel corrected him patiently. “Certain threads of the time stream.”

Manuel raised his eyebrows. “Whoa, Leo, slow down. You’re the expert on messing with time, not me.”

“No, Manu, don’t you see? Each ability is great in its own way, but as Robert’s power should have taught us, there are entirely new possibilities when we combine them. I was mulling a long time over your visions and how they work. In the end I came to the conclusion that the only explanation for you being able to foresee things that are yet to come is that your mind is extremely sensitive to the time stream. Basically you’re able to grasp a thread of the fate that is looming over our heads, metaphorically spoken.”

Like most of Lionel’s explanations, his words only reinforced the general confusion. After a few seconds Manuel urged him to go on. “Okay, so I’m sensitive to the time stream. And?”

Lionel sighed dramatically. “Oh come on, guys, do I have to spell out everything? Use your imagination! When you’re having a vision, you’re already picking one thread of time and holding on to it. At first accidentally but during our training you managed to do it intentionally too, right?”

Realization dawned in Manuel’s eyes. “So you think that I can hold on to the thread of a person and prevent his future from changing?”

“I’m sure of it. Which means if you come into the past with us, our lives as they have happened until now will be the future that you can grasp just like one of your visions. The only difference is that you have to hold on to our threads for the whole time that it takes to save Iker’s parents.”

Manuel didn’t argue but seemed to be thinking it over, so Lionel’s trains of thought weren’t as absurd as they sounded at first.

After a moment of collective silence Cristiano chuckled. “I don’t know how much of a genius you have to be just to come up with that idea, but I have to admit that it makes sense.”

An amused grin appeared on Lionel’s face. “Were you just trying to compliment me?”

Thomas had heard that question once before and briefly a memory from Robert flashed up, the moment before Robert gained Cristiano’s ability. The latter seemed to remember it as well because his answer was still the same as two years ago.  
“I wouldn’t dream to. You never accept my compliments anyway.”

For a moment they just smiled at each other, then Cristiano was all business again. “So basically, Manuel will be like an anchor for our current timelines while we’re messing with Iker’s. If this works, we will still be the same persons with the same memories, the same losses. But if we’re changing Iker’s thread and forcing ours to stay the same, isn’t that a contradiction in itself? It’s like we’re creating a rift in the time stream and forcing two separate timelines to coexist at the same time.”

“I know,” Lionel admitted with a sigh. “We’ll just have to risk it. In the best case they will merge into one and things will mostly stay like they are now except for Iker being after us. In the worst case, one of them gets the upper hand and there will be a few complications. Like us still losing our memories or Iker finding another reason to hate us. But to be honest I have faith in Manu.”

Manuel swallowed nervously. “I guess we will find out very soon if I’m worthy of it. So are we going to vote or what? Though it’s not like we’re having much of a choice considering the alternative would cost Robert’s life.”

Thomas agreed silently and he was sure their whole group would come to an unanimous decision.

Lionel tensed and Thomas could see it clearly in his eyes. There was something else…  
“I haven’t explained everything yet, there still is that one thing we would have to sacrifice. The choice whether we alter our timelines or not was something we had to decide no matter for which plan we go. But each of my two plans has a price.”

He had barely finished his sentence when Thomas interrupted him. “Fine, just tell us. Whatever it is, we will pay it.”

Marco joined his side. “He’s right. Everything is better than Robert’s death. Too many of our friends have died already.”

Lionel met the blond’s gaze hesitantly. “That’s the thing. If we go for this plan we will save Robert’s life.” He turned to Thomas. “And sacrifice yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm evil, I know...


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a lot shorter in my head and now it ended up as one of the biggest chapters of the entire story...:D
> 
> Please forgive me if there are any mistakes, it's in the middle of the night and I didn't want to keep you guys waiting.

 

 

_Save Robert's life... sacrifice yours..._

The words echoed in Thomas' head over and over, first accompanied by joy and fear then eventually by relief. So it was him who would have to pay the price, not Robert again and not one of his other friends. It almost made him smile.

The others were too thunderstruck to respond, a shocked silence in the room.

Then Robert took a step forward and Thomas was surprised by the dangerous glint in his eyes as they focused on Lionel.  
“What did you just say?”

Lionel swallowed before elaborating. “Thomas' fire ability is only in control as long as either you or Marco suppresses it. And since we need you to keep the murderer's power in check, that only leaves us with Marco who would loosen his hold on Thomas only at the last moment. The erupting fire will burn everything in its path like it did the very first time a few days ago, causing that guy to burn to death. But that guy is so powerful that you will also be consumed by the flames until you have achieved that.”

Before Thomas could respond, Manuel had stepped forward, gripping Lionel’s arm in an unusual display of physical violence. “What about Thomas’ other ability? He managed to heal himself after losing control last time even though he was unconscious.”

“Yes, but only because Robert and Marco were there to help him restrain his power. Neither of them will be able to do that, after all the whole point is to use that power for burning that guy. I’m almost sure Thomas will be dead before that guy is and one of us will have to deal the deathblow.”

So he was going to get killed by his own power? What a dramatic way to go out…

Thomas jumped in surprise when Robert placed his body in front of him to face Lionel, radiating coldness. Literally.  
“No, this is not an option. I’m not going to let Thomas die for me.”

Lionel gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, but either way one of you will die. And it will be a lot more secure for the rest of us if you survive and be able to take out that guy in case Thomas dies first. We-“

“I SAID NO!” Robert shouted in a voice Thomas had never heard him use before and suddenly ice spread from him, covering the walls and everyone in the room in a matter of seconds. Lionel screamed in pain when the involuntary attack was directed at him. Lionel dropping to his knees as a thick layer of ice rose from his feet was the last thing Thomas saw before he was enclosed by a ball of ice himself. Only that it wasn’t hurting him but keeping him trapped. It took him a second to realize that Robert had wrapped him in some sort of cocoon to protect him. He didn’t get to see what happened then as the cold made him sleepy and he was unable to recognize anything through the ice. But after a while that felt like eternity his cocoon began to melt due to the warm temperature of the room. Robert seemed to be himself again because he had turned away from the shivering Lionel who was clinging to Cristiano. He had never looked more vulnerable than in this precise moment.

Thomas turned his gaze to Robert and then it became apparent that the older man was still far from alright; blazing fury in his eyes as he stared down at the injured man lying to his feet.

The reason why his ability was back in control was Marco. The blond was hugging Robert though the other man barely noticed it in his seething anger. Marco grimaced with the effort it took him to get Robert back under control.

“Back off, Marco!” Robert demanded but the younger man didn’t move.

Carefully Thomas approached them, somehow sensing that he might be the only one Robert would actually listen to.  
“Robert, please you need to calm down.” Robert’s head whipped towards him so fast that it almost knocked with Marco’s. Wide blue eyes stared at him intensely and Thomas reached out to touch his arms. Hoping his slow motions would prevent Robert from snapping again, he pulled Robert into his arms instead. “It’s alright, Robert.”

The change was instant. Robert took a deep breath and then he finally returned the hug, his arms coming up to wrap around Thomas’ shoulder painfully hard.

When Thomas looked up, he saw that Marco was flexing his fingers, now that he apparently didn’t need to put this much effort into suppressing Robert’s ability.

So Thomas deemed it safe enough to continue. “Robert, you heard it. There is no other way if we want to secure our future.”

Robert tensed before pushing Thomas away so sudden that he almost lost his balance. It was unsettling to be at the receiving end of his fury for once. “You aren’t seriously considering this plan.”

“I’m just glad it doesn’t have to be you.”

Robert got onto his feet, once again splinters of ice as well as snowflakes appearing out of thin air to whirl around him like a manifestation of his emotions.  
“Why did you make me believe in the value of life when you were willing to throw yours away?” He sounded so betrayed and Thomas understood him, he really did. He knew how it felt like to be faced with the prospect that someone very important to you would have to die for the greater cause. But he wouldn’t give in on this matter.  
“I’m not throwing it away. I’m giving my life to save yours.”

“Who are you to decide which life is more valuable?” Robert retorted and the ice splinters circled him now, like one wrong word would cause them to pierce the speaker.

But Thomas had one argument that would surely end this discussion. If Robert was always insisting on keeping promises, then Thomas would just have to turn this one against him…  
“Think about it. If I die, what happens? Sure, a lot of people will be sad, but that’s it.” Robert wanted to interrupt him, but Thomas continued immediately. “And if you die, what will happen with Marco? Your death would destroy him.”

That effectively cut off any kind of protest. The ice splinters dropped to the ground and shattered into small pieces, making everyone jump.

Thomas hated that he was using Robert’s feelings for Marco to his advantage, but apparently there was no other way to make him agree.

“Please,” Robert pleaded. “Don’t force me to let you die. I can’t watch you sacrificing yourself for me, I just can’t.”

“You’re the strongest person I have ever met,” Thomas told him. “If anyone can make it through this, it’s you. And I need you to be strong. For Marco and yourself.”

Robert began to tremble and Thomas got another reason to hate himself when he saw the tears in his eyes. “This is my punishment, isn’t it?”

“Punishment?” Thomas repeated uncomprehending.

“That I chose Marco despite loving you. I hurt you and now you’re hurting me as well." Thomas opened his mouth to protest, but Robert gave him no chance to. “You know what’s really ironic? That you were condemning Marco for inflicting so much pain on my body when you were going to be the one tearing apart my soul.”

He turned around and stormed out of the room, leaving Thomas to stand there feeling like an absolute failure. He moved to follow, but Marco stopped him. “Don’t. He needs some time alone to think, but I’m sure that he will come around eventually.” He hesitated before adding more softly, “And thank you.”

“I didn’t do it for you,” Thomas replied though he wasn’t sure why he was arguing about it.

“I know. You did it to save Robert and that’s what I’m thankful for. That you’re still choosing him.”

“Even though he chose you, you mean.” Thomas didn’t mean to sound so bitter.

Marco gave him a long look before answering. “We both know he didn’t choose me because he loves me more than you.”

“Is that important though? Now I’m almost glad that he chose you because you two will still have each other when I’m gone. You made it through things like this before, you will do it again.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Marco said. “Because there’s one crucial thing that will be different this time.” Thomas frowned and the blond added, “Last time I was broken and he was the one holding me together. Your death will break him too. And tell me, who will hold the both us together then?”

Instead of waiting for an answer he exited the room as well and Thomas was left with his earlier relief at the new plan vanished.

He may be able to save Robert’s life by giving his own. If only there was a way to save Robert’s heart as well…

 

***

 

He barely saw Robert in the next few days. Iker had given them one week to prove they weren’t trying to fool him and there were a lot of preparations necessary before they could go back in time. While Lionel, Manuel and Robert were staying inside the house to work on combining their powers, the others were all busy training their abilities separately. Thomas had briefly considered asking Marco to loosen his hold on his new fire ability, so he could get a bit more familiar with it, but quickly dismissed the thought. It would have been just a waste of time since there was only one week left, a time much too short to control an entirely new ability. Except for Robert apparently who seemed to be making good progress according to Manuel.

So Thomas decided to do one last good deed, to put it dramatically. He tried to heal Miroslav. His wounds were so old, many of them partially connected to his mental state, so it still wasn’t easy.

“I really appreciate that you’re trying to help me,” Miroslav told him on the sixth day. “But shouldn’t you make better use of your very limited time?”

“Are you saying mending your wings isn’t a good use of time?” Thomas replied calmly.

“You know what I mean.”

Of course he did. But Thomas couldn’t bear to see the hurt in Robert’s eyes again. “He doesn’t want to talk to me right now.”

“Even if that’s true, you should go to him. Because after tomorrow you will never be able to talk to each other again. And then Robert will regret that you were fighting the last time.”

He was right. “Why do I have to be the one making the first step?”

“Because you’re the one who’s abandoning him, that’s why.”

“I’m not abandoning him!” Thomas argued.

“Really? Because as far as I know you were the one constantly telling him that life isn’t a bargaining chip and now you’re doing exactly that.”

“I’m saving him,” Thomas exclaimed harsher than necessary but the reply came from Cristiano who was approaching them from the side.

“Because you know you wouldn’t be able to cope with his death. You can’t expect something else from him.”

“I know that. But I’m not strong enough to survive losing him.”

Miroslav smiled sadly. “If you think that Robert will be stronger than you when it comes to this matter, then I think you’re underestimating the magnitude of his feelings for you.” His eyes softened. “Talk to him. Before it’s too late.”

After another moment of hesitation Thomas turned to walk back to the house, Miroslav and Cristiano following him to presumably convince Manuel and Lionel that they all should be taking a break. After all it was sunset and their little mission would start in less 24 hours…

Once inside the mansion he knocked on the door leading to the exercise room that the others were training in. When he entered the large room he was surprised to see that the training had been interrupted already. Manuel and Bastian were talking animatedly until the taller man spotted Miroslav and waved him over with a joyful smile.

Lionel was sitting in the middle of the room, deep lines of worry on his face. Robert was nowhere to be seen.

Cristiano passed Thomas and came to stand in front of the other man, extending his hand to haul him up. “So, tell me, Leo, what are you worrying about now? Besides the obvious I mean.”

“I’m not worrying,” Lionel disagreed, but it wasn’t very convincing with that thoughtful look still on his face.

Cristiano raised an eyebrow. “So does that furrow just mean you’re getting old?”

Lionel rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched upwards into a small smile. “Careful what you’re saying, Cris, you’re a lot older than me.”

“I can show you that this old body is still in very good shape,” Cristiano responded with a playful wink before getting serious again. “Come on, we should go outside and talk a bit. We have a lot to catch up on.”

Lionel sighed before taking the offered hand and letting Cristiano pull him to his feet. “That we do.” Then he turned to Thomas. “You should go upstairs. Marco is waiting for you.”

“Marco?” Thomas asked dumbfounded.

Lionel shrugged as though this shouldn't be a surprise. “Robert has been very unfocused these days, so I told him there was no more use in training his abilities. He is as ready as he will ever be. I told him to sort out what's on his mind but of course he didn't listen to me. Marco wanted to make him see reason, but before he left, he told me to send you upstairs once you're here.”

Thomas wondered how Marco could have known that he was going to come. He watched Cristiano and Lionel leave, hesitating for a moment before making his way to the staircase. Slowly he let his feet take him to the upper floor, not knowing what to expect.

The last time they had talked Thomas got the impression that Marco was the only one understanding and truly respecting his decision. Had he changed his mind now?

He knocked once before entering the room Marco and Robert were sharing only to find that the latter wasn’t here. Marco however was standing on the balcony, leaning against the balustrade and staring into the distance. He looked troubled.

Thomas crossed the room and joined him outside, enjoying the soft breeze and the last rays of sunlight on his skin.

He didn’t say anything, just waited for Marco to break the silence. The blond took his time searching for the right words and when he finally spoke, his voice could barely be heard over the wind.  
“Thomas, you should know that I don’t want you to die. If there was a way to save you as well, I would.”

“I know,” Thomas responded even though he hadn’t been entirely sure about that. For some reason he found the confirmation comforting.

Marco turned towards him with an unreadable expression in his bright green eyes. “I have done a lot of unforgivable things and hurt people you deeply care about. I still wonder how you can bear to look at me, how you can still be kind to me. But maybe that’s just in your nature.” He paused and Thomas was even more confused now. This conversation was not at all what he had expected.

“Why are you telling me all of this?”

“I’m saying this to remind myself that there is a good reason why I’m doing this now.”

“Doing what?” Thomas asked warily.

But Marco didn’t answer that right away. “You are the only one capable of healing Robert’s wounds; the ones I have deepened in my craving for revenge. You were already healing him before either of you realized that you were falling in love with each other.”

“Marco, this isn’t important anymore. I’m going to-“

“Yes, it is!” Marco interrupted him with a suddenly trembling voice. “Because in less than a day you will be gone and I can no longer rely on you to heal Robert. I need to learn how to do that myself.”

Thomas stilled insecurely when Marco raised one hand to his cheek, the touch meant to reassure them both as he continued. “And what Robert needs right now is you. To see you, to feel your love one last time before you will be leaving him to a place where he can’t follow you.”

Thomas shook his head in denial, refusing to get the meaning of those words because Marco couldn’t have intended them the way Thomas would interpret them. “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

Marco gave him a sad smile. “For the first time in my life I’m trying to put Robert first. And I’m not the one he needs right now when it is the pain of losing you that’s tearing him apart.”

Thomas stared at him with wide eyes. “Why are you doing this? It must pain you just to admit it to yourself.”

“Partially yes. It hurts not being able to help him. But I can’t ask of him to stop loving you.” He added in a softer tone, “To be honest I don’t even want to, not anymore.”

This talk just kept getting more confusing. “You always struck me as rather possessive. But you’re very calm about this.”

Marco chuckled. “Oh, trust me, I’m far from calm. I’ve just realized that the Robert who left me isn’t the same who I found again. Your love has changed him forever. He is finally able to believe that he is worth saving. And I want to thank you for that.”

Thomas was so taken aback by his words that he didn’t realize Marco was moving until he felt the smaller man’s lips on his, just a gentle kiss that was over before Thomas could decide what to make of it.

Marco pulled back with a reassuring smile. “Thank you for loving him.”

Then he turned away and left the room while Thomas remained standing on the balcony, for the first time truly realizing what mess he was leaving behind, the hole Marco and Robert would have to find a way around and now he began to understand why Robert felt like Thomas was abandoning him.

He must have been standing there for at least half an hour because by the time Marco returned, the sun had disappeared behind the horizon. He had his fingers interlaced with Robert’s, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over the pulse point while leading him into the room.

Thomas came to meet them, noting that the temperature in the room had dropped considerably, so Robert still wasn’t as emotionally stable as Thomas had hoped. When he took a closer look at Robert’s face, he felt a pang in his chest at the sight of his red-rimmed eyes and the visible tear streaks on his cheeks.

All of Thomas’ worries that Robert might still be angry with him were gone in an instant as he surged forward and pulled the older man into his arms. Robert sagged against him immediately, his whole body shaking as he began to sob.

“I’m sorry, Thomas. I’m so sorry,” Robert mumbled into his shoulder as though he was to blame for Thomas’ fate.

Thomas merely tightened his hold, inhaling Robert’s scent as deep as he could, only now realizing just how much he needed this. He watched as Marco walked over to them and put his lips to Robert’s temple. “I will leave you two alone now.” He turned to Thomas, the look in his eyes surprisingly soft. “That is your last chance to be together, so whatever you two say or do tonight, you better make it count.”

Thomas couldn’t respond, he had no idea how to properly express his gratitude. He had no idea what exactly it was that Marco was granting them. He was just glad that he would be spending his last night with the man who had taken his heart by storm. Just holding Robert in his arms while they were sleeping side by side would give him enough strength to pull the plan off without regret.

Marco had only taken a few steps to the door when Robert addressed him one last time. “Marco, I…” He broke off, unsure how to continue, a lot of questions along with just as many apologies in his expression.

But Marco shook his head. “Please don’t turn Thomas away just because you feel like you have to do right by me. I’m the reason why your love story is ending before it even began. I’m the one who has to ask for your forgiveness.”

He ducked his head, just when Robert asked with a disbelieving voice. “You will still take me back, no matter what happens between me and Thomas tonight?”

“You of all people should know that I can’t be without you. Which is why we got into this mess in the first place.” His voice was honest and Thomas knew the words were true, but he still needed to make sure that he wouldn’t irreparably damage Marco’s and Robert’s relationship.  
“Marco, just so you’re getting me right. If Robert allows me to, I will love him in every sense of the word.”

He felt Robert’s burning gaze on him but waited for Marco’s reply.

“I honestly hope you do. I don’t want Robert to miss out on anything including how it feels to be loved by you. He wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for you.” He smiled softly and it was the first one filled with warmth ever since they had agreed to Lionel’s plan. “Robert and me will have the rest of our lifetimes together. I’m sure I will be able to spare him for one night.”

And with one last meaningful look at them, he left the room.

Thomas and Robert didn’t move at first, both of them trying to process what had just happened. Then Thomas looked down at Robert, raising his hands to the smaller man’s face and tenderly wiping the traces of his tears away. “Now I’m sure that Marco will take good care of you. You’re not the only one who has changed, Marco isn’t the same man as in your memories either.”

Robert didn’t answer, instead his eyes flickered between Thomas’ as though he was searching for something. Thomas waited patiently until Robert asked doubtfully. “Did you mean what you just told Marco? That you will love me in every sense of the word?”

“Only if you want me to,” Thomas reminded him before holding his breath in anticipation. After all it was still possible that Robert might not desire him in that way.

A sad but warm smile spread on Robert’s face then he leaned forward. Thomas’ eyes closed instinctively and their lips met in a soft kiss. The last bit of tension drained from Thomas’ body while a fire that had nothing to with his ability sparked in his chest, the flames burning him from the inside, consuming him in just the right way.

Robert opened his mouth, inviting Thomas to explore it and he took the opportunity gladly by sliding his tongue between Robert’s lips.

It drew a low whimper from Robert and all of a sudden there was urgency behind his movements. His hand came up to the back of Thomas’ head as he pressed closer, his tongue entering Thomas’ mouth with unusual ferocity like he wanted to devour Thomas. His free hand had dropped to the zipper of Thomas’ pair of jeans, fumbling with it while his body began to tremble as he failed to keep himself from crying silently.

Thomas pulled back from the kiss, pushing against Robert’s chest gently to keep him from chasing his lips. “Slow down, Robert. We have all the-“

He froze when he realized what he had been about to say.  
_All the time in the world.  
_ But that wasn’t true. They had just this one night…

Robert obviously knew what he had almost said, because he shivered and raised his hand to touch the part the part of Thomas’ chest where his heart was beating underneath. “Why do you have to go? Why don’t you get to live like the rest of us? It’s not fair!”

Thomas chuckled humorlessly. “You of all people should know best that life isn’t fair. You had to endure things that are a lot worse than dying.”

Robert’s fingers over his heart curled as though they could hold Thomas’s heart and never let go. Robert looked up at him with a determent expression. “I would gladly endure them again if that would mean I could save you like I could save Marco.”

Thomas was filled with anger, his mind rejecting these words. “Don’t you ever say that again! You suffered enough pain already!”

But Robert replied with something that Thomas had told him once, a long time ago. “You can’t tell me how to feel.” Then his eyes softened. “I know I shouldn’t be saying this. But nothing could ever hurt me as much as your death will. You are the only one who has that much power over me.”

The honesty of this confession broke Thomas’ heart. “Please, you need to stop loving me so much. There’s no hope for our love, not anymore.”

“Not exactly,” Robert whispered. “There’s no hope beyond this night.” Then he leaned forward until their foreheads were touching and all they could see was each other. “Let us leave the world outside until daylight comes. Let me show you how much I love you.”

It was strange that this was the moment when Thomas finally understood why Marco had kissed him: Tonight wasn’t about easing Robert’s pain of losing Thomas. It was about showing Thomas that he wasn’t alone. Robert and Marco would be walking the last miles of the road with him. And a part of him would always remain with them even when he would be long gone.

He had thought these two choosing each other meant Robert would abandon his feelings for Thomas. But these feelings were an integral part of Robert now, just like the ones for Marco had always been ever since Thomas met him.

Robert had chosen Marco because the latter needed him. What Thomas – unlike Marco – had failed to understand was that _Robert_ needed _Thomas_. And Thomas needed him just as much, especially tonight.

“I’m afraid,” Thomas finally admitted though he hadn’t noticed it until now.

“Me too,” Robert replied and kissed him again, this time slower but not less intense. Both of his hands were pulling Thomas so close that their fronts were pressing together tightly while his mouth was prying Thomas’ lips open so wide that his jaw began to ache. It only served to fuel the flames of desire within them both and without breaking the kiss Thomas grabbed Robert’s thighs to pick him up and carry him to the bed. When Thomas lowered him onto the mattress, he pulled back to look down at Robert, taking in the sight of his slightly swollen lips and hooded eyes that had darkened a few shades. “You’re so beautiful like this, Blue Eyes.”

Robert frowned. “Blue Eyes?”

“That’s how I used to call you before I found out your real name,” Thomas explained and the memory brought a little smile to his own face.

Then he leaned down again to capture Robert’s lips in another kiss, his hands sliding down the sides of the older man’s defined body before slightly pulling at his shirt. Robert raised his arms to let him pull the fabric over his head and Thomas marveled at the sight of the beautiful body hidden underneath, all power and muscles that twitched under his touch. There were various pale scars visible on Robert’s skin and Thomas couldn’t help but put his lips to a particular large one on the collarbone, flicking his tongue over it once before moving to the next one in the middle of Robert’s chest and doing the same.

Robert gasped and a shiver ran down his spine. “What are you doing?”

“They are proofs of your strength; remnants of a time filled with nothing but violence and pain. But they are a part of you and proof that this time is over. Pain will be replaced by pleasure, violence by love starting with tonight.”

He wanted to continue worshipping Robert’s body, but the fingers suddenly pulling at his hair made him meet Robert’s eyes that were watching him affectionately.

“Would you do me a favor?” Robert whispered.

“Of course,” Thomas replied not knowing what to expect.

Robert brought up his hand to Thomas’ face, his thumb swiping over the lips tenderly. “I want you to add a mark of your own to them.” When Thomas froze upon hearing the request, he added. “So I will think of you whenever I see it.”

Thomas understood his reasoning, but he still hesitated. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Robert smiled, his eyes full of sadness. “I know. But I want to have something that will always remind me that I was and always will be yours.” His hand stroked over the other man’s cheek reassuringly. “Please don’t deny me that.”

Thomas knew he couldn’t say no to Robert, especially not when their time was so limited. His eyes dropped back to Robert’s body underneath him and he took a closer look at the scars. Most of them were long slashes, presumably inflicted by knifes cutting the skin and just looking at them was painful.

Thomas leaned back on his heels, one of his hands tracing the longest scar that started on Robert’s lowest rib and ended right at his hip bone. “I’m not going to do something like this to you.”

There was a short silence before Robert swallowed, looking disappointed. “It’s fine, I understand.”

Thomas chuckled as he realized Robert had got him wrong. “I didn’t say I wasn’t going to leave a mark, I just said not something like _this._ ”

Robert frowned in confusion and Thomas placed a short kiss to his lips before moving to the side of his throat, hovering over the spot where he could feel the beating of Robert’s pulse. Slowly he took the skin between his lips and sucked hard.

Robert groaned, his body arching upward at the unexpected pain when Thomas didn’t let go of the abused skin but opened his mouth wider and bit down as hard as he could, his teeth piercing the skin and his mouth filling with blood. He ignored the urge to pull back at the taste of iron, instead keeping up with it to make the mark last for as long as possible.

He drew another wince from Robert when he ended the task by dragging his teeth over the flesh one final time, then he pulled back to admire his work. The spot was red and bleeding from the two crescent-shaped imprints of his teeth.

Robert was panting hard from trying his best to keep still despite the pain and even though Thomas was sure that this was exactly the kind of mark Robert had wanted, he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“I’m sorry, love.”

He was surprised when Robert’s eyes lit up, a warm smile spreading on his face and suddenly he surged forward, his lips clashing with Thomas’. The latter had barely time to deal with the sudden change of the mood, to take in the desperation in those bright blue eyes before Robert turned them around. Now Thomas was the one lying underneath and Robert was kissing him with all he got, grinding his hips down so hard that he was pressing Thomas into the sheets.

“I love you,” Robert whispered in between kisses. “I love you so damn much.”

A shiver ran through Thomas as he finally let himself revel in the confession, allowing his feelings to take over and absorb the love Robert was showing him while giving back as much as he could.

Robert was tugging at his shirt demandingly and Thomas had just enough time to pull it over his head and throw it away before Robert began trailing a line of soft kisses down his body. When he reached the navel, his tongue dipped into the indentation once and Thomas gasped as he felt that he was beginning to grow hard. Without looking up Robert’s hands were pulling down Thomas’ pair of jeans and underwear slowly, leaving the younger man entirely naked. Thomas felt a blush spreading on his face as he saw the way Robert was eying his cock, but then the look in Robert’s eyes changed from desire to anxiety and he got up from the bed.

“Robert, what’s wrong?” Thomas asked worried.

“Nothing, I’m just nervous I guess,” Robert admitted. “It’s been a while since the last time and it’s only been Marco for so long. It took me a while to stop being afraid of him and this is my first time with you, so…” He broke off, unsure where to look at, yet Thomas got what he had been trying to say. “You’re afraid that I’m going to hurt you.”

“I know you would never do that!” Robert argued, sounding angry at himself. “But my body doesn’t.”

“It’s fine, Robert. We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“But I want this!” Robert argued frustrated. “And I know that I can trust you; that you won’t hurt me.”

“Would it make things easier for you if I was the one bottoming?” Thomas asked tentatively.

“I don’t know, maybe. But that would still mean I didn’t trust you not to hurt me. I know you wouldn’t hold that against me, you’re too kind for that. But I could never forgive myself for that.” Robert took a deep breath and finally he met Thomas’ gaze. “For letting you go thinking that despite everything I still don’t trust you.”

They stared at each other for a long moment then Thomas nodded. “Alright. But you tell me immediately if it’s getting too much.”

Now it was Robert’s turn to nod before opening his zipper and stepping out of the rest of his clothes.

A small groan escaped Thomas as he took in the sight of Robert’s beautiful body, the dark bite wound standing out on the pale skin. Thomas had seen his body in the memories, but now it was different. Because this Robert was different from the ones in the memories as well and he belonged to Thomas, at least for tonight.

He extended his hand and when Robert took it, he pulled the older man back on top of him. The feeling of skin on skin was electrifying and it took him all his willpower not to take this further because it was crucial that Robert was the one in charge of the situation.

Their lips met again, their tongues dancing heated around each other; both men content with exploring the other's mouth. Thomas could have kept on with this for the whole night – well, except for his jaw starting to ache – but Robert had found his courage again and he was once again sitting back, looking down at Thomas' cock hungrily. Then he leaned forward until his head was right between Thomas' upper legs and there he hesitated for a short moment, giving Thomas a curious look. Thomas didn't know what to expect, but he was completely unprepared for Robert tilting his head to the side and biting down on the inner side of Thomas' thigh. Even though Robert hadn't used his teeth like Thomas had done earlier, a surprised yelp escaped the younger man's lips and he jerked at the dull pain.

Robert watched his reaction closely. “I wasn't sure if that's a good idea, but judging by the look on your face I guess it was.”

Thomas wanted to give a reply, but it turned into a full blown moan when Robert closed one hand around his cock and gave it a hesitant stroke.

Thomas tried to focus on breathing as he struggled to lie still, but suddenly the grip of the hand around him tightened and Robert smiled at him. “I told you I will let you know if something's wrong. You don't have to hold back.”

Thomas didn't have to be told twice. He sat up to give Robert a peck on the lips, a grin appearing on his face. “Well, I quite liked what you were just doing, so...” He didn't finish that sentence; Robert would surely understand.

However Robert loosened his hold and licked his lips, a movement that distracted Thomas for a split-second. What happened next, surprised him though.

“I have a better idea,” Robert whispered suggestively and then he lowered his head again and his tongue darted out to lick over the head of Thomas' cock.

Thomas groaned as his blood rushed south, his member twitching upward. Apparently encouraged by that Robert licked a long stripe over the vein at the underside, starting from the base and not stopping until he reached the head, drawing a whine from Thomas who couldn't help from fidgeting, desperate to get away from that teasing tongue while also craving more. “God, this feels amazing.”

Robert chuckled before placing a small kiss on the head of Thomas' cock, the innocent action driving Thomas crazy in just the right way. Then he felt one of Robert's hand grabbing his base, the other one pressing down his hip gently but still firmly. And in the next moment he was engulfed by a warm and wet heat, making him moan so loud that he was sure someone in this house must be hearing him. He curled his hands into fists when Robert's tongue swirled over the head before taking him even deeper. Thomas ignored the tingling suddenly filling his whole body, instead he focused entirely on the sight of his cock slowly disappearing into Robert's mouth. When he had almost taken the whole length in, he stopped and took a few deep breaths before his eyes met Thomas. It was the last thing Thomas was able to see before his eyes snapped shut and his hips bucked up when Robert hollowed out his cheeks and sucked hard.

“Fuck, fuck...” Thomas heard himself screaming, his control over his body slipping, his vision spinning from the mindblowing sensation.

But to his frustration Robert released his cock and Thomas gave a disapproving whine that was silenced by Robert covering his mouth with his own and whispering, “Sorry. But I figured it was time.”

Thomas took a close look at him, searching for fear or panic in the other man's eyes, but found nothing but warmth there. And Thomas realized that Robert was already trusting him even though he had yet to see that himself.

He raised his hand and stroked through the short dark hair, noting Robert relaxing a little bit. But he still had to ask this. “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?”

“Yes, I am.” Robert replied softly. “I want you to make love to me, Thomas.”

That was all the confirmation Thomas needed. “Come here.”

Robert obeyed and climbed back onto the bed, but this time he was the one lying on his back while Thomas sat up. “Um, I hate to ruin the mood, but I suppose you and Marco don't have condoms in here.”

That made Robert burst out into loud laughter. “No, as you should know, we were all a bit too busy and there was so much happening the last few weeks that neither of us was thinking about getting that intimate any time soon.” He sobered a bit. “But I let myself get tested shortly after that thing between me and Marco started and I'm clean. What about you?”

“Yeah, me too,” Thomas replied. He waited for Robert's nod before dropping his gaze and bringing his fingers to Robert's entrance. He started with the index finger, circling the hole for a short moment before slowly pushing it in. He watched Robert's face for any signs of discomfort, but there was nothing of the sort as his finger passed the first ring of muscles with ease.

He moved his finger in and out a few times, then from one side to the other before daring to add a second finger. He froze briefly when he heard Robert's breath hitch, but when there was no further protest, he continued by spreading his fingers apart, scissoring them to stretch his lover carefully. He was rewarded with a low moan and when he looked up, Robert had closed his eyes and was trying his best to relax.

“How are you feeling?” he asked just in case.

“You're killing me with all that patience.” Robert complained but he sounded like he was rather grateful for it.

“That's not patience,” Thomas argued because that was a virtue he had never possessed. “I just don't want to hurt you.”

“Well, thank-” Robert's answer was cut off when Thomas added a third finger, moving them to all sides until figuring that Robert was thoroughly prepared. He retracted them all at once causing Robert to whine at the sudden loss.

He gave his own cock a few strokes before leaning forward until he was hovering over Robert. “Are you ready for me?”

Robert stole another kiss from Thomas before smiling up at him, his arms coming around the younger man's waist. “Make me yours. Please.”

And slowly Thomas pushed in.

Robert tensed immediately at the intrusion and Thomas forced himself to halt. “Robert, take deep breaths. It's just me.”

Robert opened his eyes to look at Thomas and after a few seconds he relaxed again before he hooked his ankles behind the latter's back.

Thomas continued pushing deeper into Robert until he was buried to the hilt, Robert's body trembling in what was hopefully mostly pleasure. It took Thomas' last bits of self-control not to speed up and thrust into his lover's body, instead he forced himself to pull back carefully until only the tip of his cock remained in Robert. Then he pushed in again and Robert whimpered. “Go faster, Thomas!”

The younger man was all too happy to do just that and he sped up his movements, pushing in faster, harder and after a few thrusts he changed the angle and that's when he found the spot he had been looking. Robert moaned, his whole body tensing for a moment as Thomas managed to hit his prostate several times. Robert's cock between their bodies was hardening as well and it spurred Thomas on. When he felt his orgasm nearing, he tried to pull out, but Robert's ankles tightened, clearly indicating that he wanted to keep his lover inside.

Thomas tried to thrust in deeper, aiming for Robert's prostrate every time, making him scream until all of sudden Robert bucked up, his eyes wide and unable to focus as he orgasmed; painting their stomachs with his cum.

The sight of Robert's orgasm sent Thomas over the edge as well and his vision turned white as he came inside of Robert, but in that moment it felt like he was _actually_ burning. For a moment he expected the whole room to burn up in flames because it was undoubtedly his ability that he was losing control of, but suddenly the strange feeling was gone.

“Did you just suppress my ability?” he asked at Robert who looked just as worn out as Thomas felt. At the strange question, he shook his head. “No, I think I couldn't have done that even if I tried considering I need to focus. Which was kind of hard as you can imagine.”

Thomas smirked before straightening just enough to give him a lazy kiss. “I was about go up in flames, I could feel it. But at the last moment, it disappeared.”

Robert frowned. “Well, if it wasn't me, there is only other person capable of doing that.”

_Marco._ Somehow he must have been able to sense the danger and intervened at the last moment.

“We should probably thank him for that tomorrow,” Thomas proposed before getting up and walking over to the small bathroom located right next to him. He returned with a towel and carefully he wiped Robert's cum from their stomachs and by the time he had got rid of it and joined the other man under the covers, Robert was barely able to hld his eyes open. Not that Thomas was doing much better. “Let's sleep now. Tomorrow will be an important day and we will need all of our strength.”

“I don't want to sleep,” Robert argued and he sounded sad again. “When I wake up, we will have to part forever.”

“I know it's hard. But you won't be alone, you still have Marco.”

Robert didn't answer him, instead he moved until he was lying side by side with Thomas, his head resting on the younger man's chest. As though he was listening to Thomas' heartbeat.

“I will never stop loving you,” Robert admitted with tears in his eyes.

And although it broke Thomas' heart to know that Robert would always be missing him, he couldn't help but be glad that his love for Robert wasn't unrequited. Even if it had been doomed right from the start. But well, weren't they all?

“When you look up to the stars on the sky, I will be there watching you.” At least he hoped he would.

They both fell silent after that, yet he could feel Robert pressing himself closer to Thomas, as though he could save him by simply refusing to let go.

Both men were taking a long time until they eventually fell asleep, knowing that their love wouldn't get to see another day...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case if someone is complaining that this take in the relationship of Thomas and Robert has been rushed:  
> Well, that's the tragedy of this story, that they are left with too little time and don't get to build things up slowly.  
> Or at least that's what they are thinking now. I still have one chapter left to get them out of this mess. ;)


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all I need to aplogize that this chapter took a whole day longer than expected. I know some of you were eagerly waiting for an update yesterday and I'm sorry I couldn't make it. Well, good things take time. ;)
> 
> And then I would like to thank each and every one of you for your constant support. I know thanking you guys is something that I should perhaps do in the end note, but the latter will already contain a list of songs that inspired me (in case someone wants to re-read this story while listening to the right soundtrack). :)
> 
> There are some readers (I don't know if I'm entitled to call you my fans^^) who deserve a special mention (though I'm also thankful to those who I haven't listed below).
> 
> Special Thanks to...
> 
> bibliophile357  
> ... for always encouraging me since the early days of this fic and forgiving me all the shit I've pulled your romantic heart through.
> 
> Blue_Night  
> ... for your wonderfully detailed comments and writing amazing fics that helped boost my own inspiration. Not to mention that wonderful fanfic to my fanfic. :*
> 
> CrankyNewtmas  
> ... for loving my fics despite so many chapters that ruined your day. 
> 
> JuliaHummingbird  
> ... for being so passionate about every twist in the story and not being afraid to call me out for it. ;)
> 
> mariothellama  
> ... for being so excited about all the dark and twisted emotions I added over the course of the story. 
> 
> Nigaki  
> ... for being one of the first persons to encourage me when I started writing for this fandom. I know you abandoned this story long ago, but I cannot help but hope that you will still finish it one day.
> 
> restless5oul  
> ... for always being one of the first to comment and calming my too anxious heart.
> 
> Stewolf  
> ... for too many things to list here. You know why I love you and I look forward to your reaction once you have continued reading this story.
> 
> yvette_creasy  
> ... for being such an adorable cutie pie and being so nice to me even when my chapters had nothing but drama.
> 
> Like I said, those are just a few readers I need to mention, but thanks to all of you. Now enough blabla, let's get to the final chapter and see how this story ends.

 

  **Chapter 21**

 

Thomas awoke to the feel of lips trailing over his upper body. Slowly he opened his eyes and as soon as they focused on the beautiful man showering him in sweet little kisses, a wide smile spread on his face.

“And good morning to you too.”

Robert raised his head to look at him, his eyes filled with sadness but still returning the smile. Then he moved until he was lying on top of Thomas before leaning down to capture his lips in a tender kiss. Thomas groaned as his hands traced over the naked skin of the strong body above him; his fingertips lightly ghosting over the toned torso. The action educed a low whimper from Robert and Thomas took advantage of it by sliding his tongue into his lover’s mouth. The last traces of fatigue vanished when Robert opened his mouth wider, taking charge of the kiss and now he was the one licking into Thomas’ mouth hungrily, once again sparking the desire in him and Thomas felt his cock twitching in interest.

Robert stiffened and pulled back. “We can’t, you know we have to leave soon. I’m sorry.”

Thomas sighed, but he knew Robert was right. “Don’t be. I’m so grateful that I got to feel your love last night. It’s more than I could have ever asked for.” His fingers touched the dark mark he had left on Robert’s throat and the older man shuddered, the wound obviously still sore. Thomas put a light kiss to the spot before noticing that they weren’t alone anymore.

Marco was standing in the doorway, torn between interrupting them and leaving silently. When he saw that Thomas had finally noticed him, he decided on the former. He approached the bed hesitantly, taking in their state of undress before his eyes dropped to the bite on Robert’s throat. He froze, unable to look away even when he addressed Robert. “He hurt you.” His voice sounded not angry but irritated.

“Yes, because I wanted him to,” Robert replied gently. He got up from the bed and walked over to Marco whose eyes never left the mark as though he was afraid of its meaning. The troubled expression wasn’t lost on Robert either. “Marco, look at me.” The blond obeyed instantly, his bright green eyes snapping up to Robert’s blue ones. “Do you remember what I said when we first made love?” When Marco only frowned in confusion, he continued. “I told you I needed to feel the pain, just to know that it is a different one than before. This is the same.” Understanding dawned in Marco’s eyes, yet he raised his hand to touch the mark with a sad expression, making Robert wince. “I wish you wouldn’t always need pain as reassurance that something is real. But I guess I only have myself to blame for that.”

“I’m not blaming you for it, so you shouldn’t do that either,” Robert told him softly. “The pain is always going to be a part of me; I’ve learnt how to live with it.”

Marco’s eyes flickered to Thomas. “But you won’t be able to live with the pain of losing Thomas, will you?”

Robert didn’t respond and that was answer enough.

Thomas got up from the bed as well and walked over to take Robert into his arms. “You’ve got to be strong. But if anyone can do it, it is you.”

Robert’s arms came up and he pulled Thomas closer, their naked bodies pressing tightly together. “Don’t leave me, please!” His voice was raw with emotion and Thomas hated himself for not being able to make his sorrow go away, but he couldn’t give in on this matter. He turned his head to the side and met Marco’s gaze, hoping the other man would understand his silent plea.

Marco walked over until he was standing behind Robert, gently pulling at his shoulders until he finally let go of Thomas. He put a soothing kiss to Robert’s temple, just like he had done the day before when he had left the two of them alone.

Back then it had been a kiss to reassure Robert that it was alright to give in to Thomas’ love. Now it was a kiss to reassure Robert that it was alright to let go of it.

Thomas closed his eyes and turned away from the two men to leave the room when he heard Marco call after him. “I promise I will love Robert for the two of us.”

Thomas turned back to them, taking in the way Marco held Robert close while the brunette was trying hard to keep himself from crying.

“Yes, I know.” With that Thomas finally left to get ready for the last day of his life.

He took his time with showering and getting dressed, all the while wondering what if…

What if Manuel wasn’t strong enough to grasp their threads for such a long time?  
What if they wouldn’t even be able to save Iker’s parents?  
What if Lionel and Robert brought them into the wrong time?  
What if…

He was still musing when he walked into the kitchen an hour later. Manuel was leaning against the counter and sipping his cup of coffee.

“Good morning, Manu.”

The only reaction he got from his friend was a dark glance when his eyes narrowed to slits. “I thought Robert chose Marco?”

Thomas was taken aback by Manuel’s direct approach. “Yes, he did.”

“Interesting. Because the walls in this house are rather thin, that’s why I tried to disappear downstairs when I heard unmistakable noises coming from the room next to mine. Imagine my confusion when the man sitting on the couch wasn’t you but Marco.” Thomas swallowed when he realized where Manuel was heading with this. “So tell me, where were you last night?”

Thomas sighed as he realized what Manuel was thinking. “Obviously you already know where I was. And Marco knows as well.”

“Of course he knows, it was hard to miss!” Manuel retorted sounding angry. “What were you thinking? And how could Robert cheat on Marco anyway?”

Now it was Thomas’ turn to be angry. “No, I mean Marco knew about what would happen even before Robert and I did.”

Manuel stared at him in utter confusion. “What do you mean he knew before you did?”

“It’s a bit hard to explain and I can’t fully wrap my head around his reasons either. But he gifted us this night together.”

“Why would he do that?” Manuel asked disbelieving.

Thomas shrugged cluelessly. “For that you have to ask Marco, not me.”

He returned to the task of pouring himself some coffee and when he looked out of the window, he saw Miroslav and Bastian in the garden, but Cristiano and Lionel were nowhere to be seen.

“It’s 10 am already, why isn’t Leo up yet?”

He realized he had asked the wrong thing when Manuel chocked on his coffee and blushed a deep shade of crimson. “Ahem, well, you and Robert weren’t the only ones who had a lot of talking to do.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow amusedly. “Talking, hm?”

Manuel grinned. “Well, it was more like pleasant screaming.”

They both broke out into laughter, but it didn’t last long. When Manuel had sobered, he watched Thomas thoughtfully. “I know why you feel like you need to do this. But I just want to remind you that nobody would blame you if you changed your mind.”

“Are you really expecting me to be the coward and let someone else pay the price?” Thomas asked incredulously.

“No, not really. I just don't want to see my best friend dying.”

A heavy silence settled over them after his confession. They were both still quietly staring down into their coffee mugs by the time Lionel and Cristiano emerged from the former's room, both of them giggling and looking happier than Thomas had ever seen them. Then Lionel spotted him and his grin faded as he seemed to remember what exactly was going to happen by the end of the day.

Thomas forced a smile. “Please don't look at me with so much pity, Leo. It's not like that's going to change anything.”

But the worried look on Lionel's face didn't change in the slightest. “How are you?”

Thomas shrugged. “I don't feel any different than yesterday. It still feels so surreal to me that I can't be afraid yet. Maybe that changes once we reach Iker's house.”

Lionel didn't answer, he just continued watching the younger man with his unnerving gentle eyes. Manuel was avoiding looking at him altogether, so Thomas settled on Cristiano, hoping he would find the hard cold stare he had got when they first met. It would be so much better than pity. But his eyes didn't hold the familiar dark contempt but sympathy in them.

Thomas got up before he realized he had been moving and left the kitchen in a hurry. He needed someone or something to distract him for the remaining hour before they would be heading to Iker's house.

In the end he walked outside to join Miroslav and Bastian who were sitting side by side in the garden. Thomas was grateful that they weren’t talking about what would happen today. No, somehow Thomas and Miroslav found themselves listening to Bastian explaining why he had spent the latest night writing a long letter to someone special.

“You never mentioned that you have a boyfriend,” Miroslav said, sounding as surprised as Thomas felt.

“I didn’t want anyone of you to know about him, in case Sergio and Iker were trying to torture that kind of information out of you,” Bastian admitted. “Though I doubt they would have had much interest in him, he’s human after all.”

Thomas understood that, but that raised another question. “Does he know why you’re here with us? I can’t imagine he would let you risk your own life for us just like that.”

“No, he doesn’t know what we’re doing. When I left England a few weeks ago, I only told him that an old friend needed my help.”

Miroslav frowned. “And since then he never asked what exactly was taking so long?”

“Lukas and I have been together for twelve years now and not once have I left him for such a long time, so he knows it’s got to be important. He trusts me enough to know I will tell him when I’m ready.”

Thomas shared a quick look with Miroslav. “Then why did you write him a letter now? All of this will be over by tomorrow and then you can fly home and tell him all of this yourself.”

Bastian raised his head, eying Thomas carefully as though the answer should be obvious. “You aren’t seriously expecting me to just go home like that, right?”

Thomas blinked, unsure why Bastian sounded almost angry. “You’re not?”

But it was Miroslav who answered him with the disappointment clear in his voice. “Have you ever bothered to think about what’s going to happen once you’re dead? We will all need each other to deal with that and it’s going to take time, a lot of it.”

Thomas dropped his head regretfully. “I’m sorry, I should have known.” He didn’t get to say more when the others exited the house in this moment.

Lionel and Cristiano were walking ahead, looking determent and careful not to let their true emotions show. Manuel who had followed them changed his direction and walked towards the three of them. His dark expression didn’t even brighten when Miroslav hugged him, his wings twitching as he tried and failed to wrap them around the tall blond.

The last ones were Marco and Robert, both of them looking just as miserable as earlier this morning. Thomas’ eyes dropped to Robert’s throat, the deep mark he had left clearly visible above his black V-neck. Thomas wondered how long the wound would take to heal; if it would still be there by the time Marco and Robert were ready to make love to each other for the first time since Robert had run away. And if it was, would Marco mind seeing Thomas’ mark on his lover’s skin?

Questions he would never get the answer to…

Without a word he joined the group as they all walked to Lionel’s garage. This was the first time they would all be going into battle; the first time that no one would stay behind yet everyone was aware that they one of them wouldn’t return…

Thomas followed Lionel, Robert and Marco to a familiar black Maserati while Manuel, Miroslav and Bastian followed Cristiano to a dark blue SUV.

He was about to open the door to the passenger’s seat, so Robert and Marco could have the backseat for themselves, but Marco grabbed the door handle at the same time that Robert pulled at Thomas’ arm to drag him onto the backseat. Both of them didn’t say anything, but there was no need to anyway. Robert wanted to spend every last moment with Thomas and there would be absolutely no objection coming from Marco.

Thomas felt some of his tension draining when Robert dropped his head to lie on his chest even though the position had to be uncomfortable for him. Thomas closed his eyes and buried his nose in the dark hair to inhale the older man’s scent, reminding himself that there was no other choice if he wanted Robert to live. But feeling him in his arms now made it only harder to stay strong.

They spent the drive to Iker’s house in silence, each one of them lost in his own thoughts. The Spaniard was already waiting for them on the terrace of his house, arms crossed and watching them with narrowed eyes. It was obvious that he wasn’t trusting them in the slightest, but the feeling was mutual. When the two cars pulled up in his driveway and Cristiano and Lionel exited them with equally leery faces, he sighed before his features softened as he turned to his housemaid Maria to say his goodbye and leave her with instructions until his return.

Thomas watched as Iker followed Cristiano to the SUV, but was stopped by Manuel planting himself in front of the car with a murderous glare.

“You’re not driving with us!”

Iker frowned in confusion while Thomas got the reason when he glanced to the SUV. Even from this distance he could clearly see that Miroslav was short from panicking, his stiff wings spread as wide as possible in his condition and the limited space of the car.

When Iker noticed it as well, he raised his hands placatory. “I wasn’t going to hurt him.”

“I don’t want you near him!” Manuel snarled. “I’m not trusting you to keep your word.”

Iker looked like he wanted to say something more, but Cristiano had placed himself between the two arguing men. “Calm down, Manu. I think we got the point, Iker won’t drive with us.”

Without protest Iker changed his direction to Lionel’s car and got onto the free backseat. Thomas felt the resentment building up inside of him when he felt Robert tensing at the feel of Iker sitting right beside him.

It didn’t escape the older man’s attention. “Don’t worry, Robert, the same goes for you. I won’t hurt you, we’re on the same side for now.”

Robert didn’t relax at all, so Thomas tightened his grip on him before suggesting the idea that had just come to him. “If he so much as lays a finger on you, you can still freeze him or bust his brains out. We’ll find a way to explain it to Leo and Cristiano.”

That had Marco bursting out into laughter and even Robert couldn’t hide his grin. Iker didn’t say another word for the rest of the ride and the silence made the one hour drive feel like an eternity. When they finally reached the small town that Iker had been born in, it was early afternoon. The sky was cloudy, the sun barely visible as Lionel parked his car in front of an old house.

Now it was Iker who had tensed up, staring at the building as though it was haunted. “This is it, my old home.”

They exited the car and walked over to Cristiano and the others who were already waiting at the entrance of what had been a large mansion once.

Iker stilled, his eyes roaming over the house warily. “I haven’t been here since I was a little kid.”

Thomas actually felt sympathy for him, but his attention shifted to Manuel who suddenly inhaled sharply.

“This is the church from my vision!” He was staring at said building on the opposite side of the street and just like Manuel had described it, it was indeed desolate. At least the clock was showing the right time.

Lionel coughed. “Alright, let’s do this. Robert, are you ready?”

“Of course,” Robert answered and walked over to him, taking the outstretched hand into his. “What date and time do we need?”

“13th May 1986. According to the police report and Iker’s statement his parents died at approximately 9 pm.” He glanced at Iker who gave him an affirmative nod, then Lionel closed his eyes and Robert did the same.

Thomas had no idea what exactly what they were doing, but he could feel an increasing amount of power radiating from them, making the hair on his arms stand up.

Lionel began to tremble from the effort it seemed to take and Cristiano was about to intervene but got stopped by Bastian gripping his arm. “Don’t. I’ve seen that happen during training, he’s going to be alright.”

Cristiano balled his hands, but stayed where he was even when Lionel hunched forward as the power building between him and Robert manifested into an eerily beautiful black ball of light. And now it was clearly Robert who was taking charge as he raised one of his hands to the ball as though he was trying to grasp it. The energy began to pulse violently, making Thomas cringe because he could feel the wrongness of it in his bones.

And then the ball began to grow rapidly until it was as tall as Lionel before a vent appeared in it right where Robert’s hand was. There was nothing but calm blackness in it, but Robert’s eyes lit up excitedly. “I did it!” He sounded sincerely surprised.

“I knew you could do it,” Lionel told him proudly before turning to Cristiano. “Want to go first, Cris?”

Cristiano nodded grimly. “Of course. How does it work?”

“Robert is holding the gate open for you. All you’ve got to do is holding on to him and he will just walk through it.”

Cristiano eyed the gateway with distrust, but stepped forward and reached out for Robert carefully. As soon as their fingers touched, the black light turned into a blinding white, engulfing them both and when it finally dimmed down again, the two men were gone.

Thomas had barely time to feel worried before the light brightened once again and Robert was back, breathing hard but looking satisfied with himself. “Feels kind of weird, but that’s it. Who wants to go next?”

Thomas stepped forward immediately and Robert’s grin faded. Thomas didn’t have to be a psychic to know what he was thinking. “We’re going to do this. If you refuse to get me into the past, I can still ask Lionel.”

Robert bit his lip before giving in. He took Thomas’ hand and the younger man’s vision was gone, all he could see was white and it felt like his body was melting. He was too hot and instinctively he tried to let go of Robert’s hand, but he couldn’t move. Then it was over and his vision returned as he found himself standing at the exact same place as before. But Robert, Lionel and all the others were gone. He was face to face with Cristiano who looked relieved at seeing him. “For a moment I was afraid, something had gone wrong,” he admitted before letting his eyes wander through the room. Thomas did the same and while it was clear that he was still standing in front of the same house, the surroundings were not exactly the same.

The sun had gone down, but it wasn’t entirely dark yet. Iker’s house was brightly illuminated, shedding light on Thomas and Cristiano who were standing at the side of the street. Both men stared in wonder at the woman they could see through the large window of the living room.

Both of them were so fascinated that they didn’t even notice that Marco had appeared beside them. “God, that felt really strange.” He rubbed his arms before noticing that no one was listening to him. “What are you-?” He broke off when he followed their gaze. “Is that Iker’s mother?”

“I think so,” Thomas supposed before jumping when Manuel appeared behind him. They waited nervously until Bastian showed up, followed by Iker, Miroslav, Lionel and eventually Robert.

The latter was swaying on his feet, looking pale and Thomas and Marco surged forward instantly to support him. It reminded Thomas when they had found Robert after he had endured days of torture from Sergio. Not exactly a comforting thought.

“No need to worry about me, I’m fine,” Robert said though it did nothing to lessen Thomas’ worry.

He raised his head to look at Iker who was staring at the window like he didn’t know how to feel. “That’s my mum.”

Carefully Cristiano reached out to touch his arm and push him closer to the front door, the others following silently. Iker was obviously dazed, so it was Cristiano who rang the bell, earning a panicked look from Iker as they could hear footsteps from the other side. A moment later the door opened, revealing a man that looked like he could be Iker’s older brother, the same face, the same height. He frowned as he noticed the unmistakable similarities as well, before apparently shrugging them off as his imagination. “Can I help you?”

Iker was still in no condition to talk, yet Cristiano flashed one of his perfect smiles. “We're sorry for disturbing you at such a late hour, José. But we’re old friends of your wife and thought we could catch up with her. May we come in?”

José Casillas seemed like he wanted to protest as he looked at the large group. Thomas almost got the impression that he was afraid. “Sure, please come in. María is in the living room, the second door to the left.”

“Thank you,” Cristiano responded, his smile widening before entering the house with Iker in tow. The others followed and Thomas silently noted that an adult man should really know better than to invite nine strangers in.

José followed them into the living room where his wife was standing, her eyes puffy and red as though she had been crying.

Thomas frowned. “Are you okay, Mrs. Casillas?”

But it was someone else who answered him, a voice that was too familiar. “Of course she isn’t.”

Thomas whipped around, his heart skipping a beat as he came face to face with the man who had just come into the room, slowly closing the door behind himself and the little boy on his arm.

Thomas recognized the boy as little Iker looking confused by what was going on, but it was the man holding him, the man who would kill Iker’s parents that he couldn’t take his eyes away from.

Because this wasn’t possible, his mind screamed and he felt Robert in his arms tensing as the man smiled, cold blue eyes settling on Thomas. “Hello Thomas.”

He couldn’t breathe, this wasn’t possible, but there was no mistaking this man, even though he was a few years older than Thomas knew him in his own time. “Robert?!”

The man smiled and it made him look dangerous, like a predator eying his prey. “I was looking forward to finally seeing you again, Thomas.”

Everyone was shocked into silence as they stared at this man who clearly was Robert though he didn’t _feel_ like Robert.

After a few moments Thomas had finally found his voice again. “Is this some kind of cruel joke?”

“I understand your confusion, but let me assure you, you’re not dreaming and I’m really here.”

There was a low growl from Marco before he took a step forward challengingly. “Who are you? A shapeshifter?”

For the first time the man’s perfectly schooled features twisted in annoyance. “Please, Marco, in your own interest, watch what you’re saying! You’re not listed very high on my popularity ranking.”

Marco frowned while those cold eyes settled on Robert standing between the blond and Thomas. “I can still remember what it was like being you. Lost, alone, afraid. You were weak and predictable yet I was very fond of you, Robert.”

Thomas turned his head to his lover, noting the fear in those cerulean eyes he had come to love. “How is this possible?”

The predatory gaze returned to Thomas, a soft smile spreading on the familiar yet foreign face. “I am Robert. Just five years older than the one you know.”

Thomas shook his head in denial. “No, you’re not Robert. You can’t be.”

The older Robert stepped closer and Thomas couldn’t keep himself from shivering in fear, something he had never felt in Robert’s presence up to now. Then those cold eyes closed and in the next moment his lips were pressing against Thomas’ softly. The younger man was so surprised that he couldn’t have stopped this even if he had wanted to. His heart was hammering in his chest because he could sense the danger emanating from this man as he opened his mouth, his tongue demanding entrance. Thomas pushed the man away, but it didn’t erase the taste of Robert from his lips.

He brought up his fingers to touch them, feeling violated. “What happened to you?”

Robert sighed. “That is a long story and though I would be glad to tell this tale, there is something I have to do first.”

Instantly their whole group moved; Thomas, Robert and Marco trying to block his view while the others had built a circle around the only humans, Iker and his parents.

The only reaction that got them was an amused chuckle. “Do you seriously think you can stop me? Leo is wasting all of his energy to keep your portal open and Manu can’t lift a finger without losing the threads he is grasping right now.” His eyes settled on Manuel who had been silent up to now, but suddenly he jerked, his eyes widening and Thomas knew that something was wrong.

“What are you doing to him?” he shouted.

He received a shrug. “The same that I’m going to do to Mr. and Mrs. Casillas. I have the ability to stop hearts, I gained it from an acquaintance a few years ago.”

Everyone turned to Manuel in panic, watching in horror as he dropped to his knees with one hand clutched hard against his chest.

“Stop it, please!” a low voice asked pleadingly and it was Robert, _their_ Robert and it was the first time he had addressed this future version of himself.

Suddenly Manuel relaxed, taking deep and steady breaths again.

Robert’s mirror image looked at him, his lips twitching up into a cold smile and Thomas was struck at how opposing they looked despite their physical resemblance. Robert was compassionate and desperate to save the ones he loved. His reflection was selfish and cruel, delighting in their pain.

“So, little one, you finally found the courage to address me. To face the darkness in your heart.”

Robert swallowed before taking a step forward. “You’re the voice in my head, aren’t you?”

That unsettling smile turned almost gentle. “Yes, I am. Though you will prefer to call me The Darkness from now on.”

Thomas frowned. “How do you know this? Are you saying that this isn’t the first time that you’ve tried to mess up this particular time stream; that all of this has happened before and you know how this will end?”

The Darkness switched his focus to him and Thomas was frightened by the piercing gaze. “Look at you trying to piece together the puzzle. But for that you need to understand one fundamental thing. Time is fluid and what’s happening right now was always meant to be. I told you I’m five years older than the Robert you know. But I am still the same person, so I’ve experienced this before. The difference is that I was still Robert back then.” He looked at Thomas expectantly, clearly waiting for him to figure it out on his own.

“So what you’re saying is that you’re not disrupting the time stream, but you were always meant to be here and kill Iker’s parents?”

The Darkness looked impressed. “Something along those lines, yes. The details may always vary because altering the past events can bring changes in your present which then result in additional changes when you’re once again going back into the past and then this goes on and on like an endless cycle. But yes, technically it has always been the same scenario and it will always be me.”

His eyes drifted to Robert and softened. “I know you are afraid of me, little one. But we were always meant to become one, for me to be protecting you from all the people trying to hurt or take advantage of you.”

Robert shook his head. “It was always you who hurt me. You made me kill Mario.”

The Darkness’ smile faded. “Ah, I almost forgot how much we used to feel for our friends. You may not believe me just yet, but I was doing this for you.”

“For me?” Robert repeated disbelievingly.

The Darkness stepped closer towards him, one hand coming up to stroke Robert’s cheek affectionately. “I see that you still don’t understand the gift I made you. Do you remember our last words to Mario before we killed him?”

Robert stiffened when he thought back to a memory he was usually trying hard to avoid. “ _Don’t worry. I will cherish what has been yours, I promise.”_ Robert looked confused. “I don’t understand. What has his ability to do with any of this?”

“You misunderstood me,” the Darkness replied patiently. “I didn’t gift you his ability.” And suddenly he turned towards Marco. “I gifted you the man you loved.”

Once again the whole room was shocked into silence. Robert was the first to find his voice again. “You killed Mario just so I could be with Marco?!”

“Mario was an obstacle between you and the man you desired,” the Darkness said as though that was reason enough.

Marco surged forward, his hands fisting the black fabric which the Darkness was wearing. “You made me watch Robert murdering my lover and expected me to be with him? I thought you were a lot smarter than that!” Marco was practically shouting at this point. “I raped him!”

The Darkness’ scowl darkened, nothing but fury and hatred in his eyes as he looked down at the blond. “Oh, I remember those months vividly. How you ripped him apart while I was trapped inside of Robert’s mind, unable to do anything thanks to you suppressing me. I have to admit I was hoping that you would lash out at him, that you would break his too kind heart, so that he would finally embrace me and see that I was the only one who truly cared about him. But I had never imagined in my darkest dreams how vicious your actions would be.” Marco stared at him with wide eyes, guilt and fear in them while The Darkness continued. “I swore to myself that I would make you pay for what you did to him. But even then there was still love and kindness in his heart and I knew I couldn’t take my revenge yet, not without risking that he would kill himself for having hurt you. So I waited.” His eyes returned to Thomas and the fury faded. “And then you came along.” Thomas was unable to move, the fear paralyzing him as The Darkness took slow but steady steps towards him. “I was about to lose Robert because he had given up on himself, he was prepared to die. But then you appeared in his life and things changed, Robert changed. I know now that he is not going to give himself up like that again. You made him feel important and reminded him that his life has a purpose. So in a way you saved me as well.” He stopped right in front of Thomas, an aura of danger still radiating from him despite the tender expression in his eyes. “Because of this you are the only one I hold dear except for Robert. You’re special, Thomas.”  
A shiver ran down the younger man’s spine when The Darkness’ hand came up to his neck, a soft but firm grip before he continued in a silky voice, “I have always been craving for more power to protect Robert and myself, hoping that Robert would give in to me one day and we would become one. But like I said before, there is still too much kindness in his heart, he will never do so willingly because he cannot see that I’m just doing what’s best for him. But I could drive him to a point where he will be too hurt and weak to fight me off any longer; where he will be embracing my cruelty.”

Thomas shook his head. “You’ve tried that by exposing him to Marco’s revenge. That didn’t turn out quite like you had planned.”

“True,” The Darkness agreed and Thomas wished he would just stop smiling, it was absolutely terrifying. “But I made the mistake of assuming that he would embrace me once he reached a point where he wouldn’t be able to take any more pain that’s been inflicted on him. Now I know better. I need to drive him to a point where he can’t watch the ones he loves suffer any longer.”

Thomas tensed as he realized what the Darkness was saying, but suddenly the conversation was interrupted by the one man who Thomas would have expected the least.

“Enough of the explaining!” Iker said, his voice impatient and… excited? Thomas was irritated and for a moment he wondered if Iker was simply enjoying the thought of finally killing the murderer of his parents. But the look with which Iker regarded The Darkness could only be described as bored. “I knew what happened, after all my past self is still standing here.” He quickly glanced to the side where his mother was clutching the five year old Iker tightly to her chest. The boy was mostly confused and unable to understand what was going on while his parents were on the brink of freaking out. They couldn’t have made much sense of this discussion either, but they must have at least got the earlier part where Thomas and The Darkness had mentioned that the later was going to kill them.

Iker looked down at his younger self. “Listen to me, Iker. All people in this room have special abilities except for you and your parents. You heard what this man just said, all he wants is more power.” The boy frowned in confusion as he quickly glanced at The Darkness before returning his attention to Iker. Then he asked what only a child could ask. “Do you have a power too? Are you going to save us from the bad man?”

Iker chuckled though it sounded sad. “A bad man he is indeed and yes, I will use my own power to stop him. That’s why I can’t change the past and let you forget about the danger of these monsters.” Thomas’ eyes widened when he saw Iker raising his arm – he hadn’t even seen him pull out the gun from his jacket – and shooting the man standing behind the boy.

“No!” María Casillas shouted in horror as she caught the dead body of her husband in her arms, but the echo of that one little word hadn’t even faded away when there was the deafening sound of a second gunshot and she dropped to the ground as well.

Thomas was shell-shocked, unable to take his eyes away from the dead couple while his ears hurt from a shrill wailing, the little boy screaming until the first of them had managed to shake out of his state of shock; the one who had probably seen so many deaths that he was starting to get used to it.  
Miroslav stepped closer, taking the sobbing boy into his arms and letting his wings fold around him protectively.

Cristiano whirled around to charge at Iker angrily, but stopped when the gun was pointed to him warningly. “What the hell have you done?”

Iker shrugged, but there was an edge to his voice that indicated he wasn’t as calm as he tried to appear. “I ensured that the future will stay the same; that this child will grow up with the seed of hatred planted in his heart.”

The Darkness stared at him with a mix of surprise and disapproval. “Last time I was the one to kill your parents by stopping their hearts and fake my suicide two weeks later. You killing your own parents is new, but like I said earlier some details of the events change with each time you go back into the past.”

“I know,” Iker responded. “I watched you killing them, but I was confused why this older version of myself wouldn’t stop you. But now I know the reason.”

The Darkness merely raised an eyebrow, but Thomas was close enough to see his eyes hardening while Iker continued. “Because if I had let my parents live and not started hunting you many years later, the world wouldn't know about you and I wouldn't be standing here with the possibility to kill every being in this room.”

The Darkness smirked though it didn't look amused at all. “So you intend to kill us all? Then let me take care of something, we don't want your past self to get traumatized by someone creating a bloodbath who looks exactly like he will do one day. It's bad enough as it is.”

They all stared at him as he approached Miroslav slowly, swiftly ducking out of the way when the latter's stiff wings tried to lash out at him. Thomas could see Manuel jerking, obviously wanting to intervene, but he couldn't have done so without risking to lose the threads he was mentally grasping.

The Darkness smiled at Miroslav calmingly. “Don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you or the boy.” He crouched down and extended his hand to the still crying child. “You have seen enough. It would be best for you if you left this house now.”

The boy stared at the offered hand. “Will you kill me?”

“No, of course not,” The Darkness assured him before adding in an even gentler voice. “But I'm going to kill most of the other people in this room.”

The boy's eyes widened and he let go of Miroslav, completely ignoring the offered hand as he fled from the room as fast as his legs would carry him.

As soon as he was gone, Iker picked up where he had left off. “I've seen the photo of your seemingly dead corpse in the police report. And when I found him,” - he nodded towards Robert - “I was tempted to kill him, so he would never become the monster you are now. But then I would have destroyed my biggest opportunity to erase your kind. Because I remember the words you just whispered to my young self, the same that you told me in my timeline. That you would kill everyone in this room. Well except for your own younger self of course.”

Lionel finally spoke up despite trembling badly with the effort it took him to hold open the gateway, the tear of energy he was balancing in his hands. “So this was your plan all along? You already knew you would betray us when you agreed to our deal?”

Iker looked at him nonchalantly. “Usually I am a man of my word. But this time there is so much more at stake, the safety of the whole world. And you must be thinking the same, why else would you be doing this?”

Thomas frowned, but Iker explained the cryptic statement immediately after. “You saw the photo in the police report. You knew the murderer's identity before we went back in time. And in our last timeline, it was not me who killed my parents.” He nodded pointedly towards The Darkness. “You knew we would be facing a future version of Robert.”

Thomas felt like he had been slapped in the face, much like everyone else. Lionel swallowed. “I wasn't sure about the details, but yes, I guessed as much. But I believed Robert has a choice, that he doesn't have to become a monster. I still do. And he still has five years to prove me right; that we can choose our own fate.”

Thomas didn't know how to feel. On the one hand Lionel had kept so much from them that it was hard not to feel betrayed, but on the other hand he had done so because he had faith in Robert.

Iker shook his head. “He won't change. He has always been dangerous, just like the rest of you. But I will stop you. By sacrificing my parents and killing your kind, I will become the hero.”

They all jumped at the cruel laughter filling the air, a hint of pity in The Darkness' features. “You are incredibly pathetic and naive, Iker Casillas. You think just because you have a gun in your hand, you are the one pulling the strings in this room? I'm so disappointed, I thought you were smarter than that.” Suddenly a glint appeared in his eyes. “Or is there more to to this, something you're not telling us?”

It was silent for a while before Iker answered. “At one point I got weak. I started to wonder if there were some of you freaks that were not dangerous and deserved to live in freedom.” He swallowed before turning to Thomas. “You have the gift of healing people and I thought you were different, someone who cherished each life too much to take it away. And then you killed my lover.”

It took Thomas a moment until he understood what exactly Iker was accusing him of. “Sergio was your lover?”  
“Yes, and you took him away from me” Iker shouted furiously and once again he was so fast that no one could have stopped him, except for Lionel if it hadn't been for the already shrinking portal that he needed to feed his own energy.

Thomas still felt like he was experiencing it in slow motion when Iker moved the gun from Cristiano to him and pulled the trigger in the same moment that someone was pushing him out of the fire line. Or at least tried to.

The Darkness screamed in anger and the last things Thomas saw before he hit the ground, were Iker's eye balls bursting, just like the gun in his hand, his dropping to the ground as well. He was probably dead before his head had even touched the carpet.

Thomas winced at the searing hot pain as the bullet hit his chest instead of his head like Iker had intended. He looked up to the man above him and he shouldn't have been surprised that it was Robert.

“Thomas, are you alright?” he asked, his eyes wide in fear.

Thomas wanted to nod, but he couldn't hide the pain when a groan escaped his lips as he let Robert pull him up. Which wasn't a good idea he realized when his legs gave out under his weight, his vision very briefly turning black.

Robert caught him and after a few seconds the drumming in his ears subsided enough that he was able to understand what the older man was saying. “Hurry, you need to use your ability to heal yourself!”

Thomas tried to focus on his life energy, but it took too much effort already not to let his eyes close and sink into unconsciousness. Marco appeared next to Robert and Thomas barely sensed the blond's hand on his torn and bleeding chest. “Draw the energy you need from me!” Marco commanded, sounding panicked. “Come on, you have done it before, when we saved Robert from his memories, remember?”

Thomas tried to open his mind and reach out for the two men hovering above him and it shouldn't have been so hard to find the strings of energy connecting them ever since that day. He felt his conscious brush them just lightly and they would have slipped out of reach again if it hadn't been for both men instantly embracing him. But Thomas was already too weak to pull energy from them, holding on to them would just prolong the inevitable.

But then there was movement and suddenly The Darkness had crouched down at Robert's other side, looking both furious and worried. “He will die if we don't act quick.”

Robert turned to his mirror image. “Please save him, I'm begging you!”

The Darkness turned to him, his features once again softening. “There is no need to beg, little one. I assure you he is just as precious to me as he is to you. But I can't save him. In my time line I killed all of your friends including Thomas before they could return to their present, therefore I was unable to acquire his ability of healing. I still intend to kill them all, but this time I won't make the same mistake twice. I won't doom myself to five years of loneliness again. So this time we will save our lover.”

Robert stared at him confused. “But how?”

“You need to acquire his ability, little one. He won't let me inside his head because he is afraid of me. But he loves _you_.”

“I'm not strong enough to do this, I need more time to learn his ability!” Robert whispered.

“You already did it once. After he got us out of the hospital,” The Darkness reminded him.

“But that was you taking over my body, not me!”

“I am a part of you, Robert. You just have to dig deep enough to find me within you. We managed to get inside his head because there was no other choice if we wanted to live. This time there is no other choice if we want _him_ to live.”

Robert hesitated and Thomas tried to shake his head, his voice slurring slightly. “Don't listen to him, Robert.”

Of course Robert did the opposite. “Show me how I can save him.”  
The Darkness smiled. “You can only do that yourself. By embracing me.” He took a step back as though he wanted to give Robert room to think. “Emotions are the key to power. Stop hiding them deep within, let them flood you instead.”

Robert placed his hand over the bullet wound hesitantly. “I'm afraid.”

“And that is a good thing. Fear isn't a weakness, it can make you stronger. Let the fear of losing your lover overcome you.”

Robert met Thomas' gaze and the younger man shook his head again. If Robert actually did this, he would be making the first step into the wrong direction. “Please, don't Robert. Just let me die, I'm begging you!”

A short pause. “No.” Robert's voice was firm. “I won't let that happen.”

And he pressed down harder, a jolt going through his body as he seemed to let his emotions wash over him. But Thomas felt another touch, a hand on his shoulder and he turned his head to find Marco still kneeling there. “He's right, you can't die. We will deal with the consequences later, I can still suppress them in the meantime.”

Thomas stared at The Darkness who was watching Robert attentively and he remembered that even Robert hadn't been able to suppress the powers of this future version of himself. “But not forever.”

He wasn't able to say more when he felt a tingling in his body, his energy changing its direction and there was a burning at his chest, followed by excruciating pain. Thomas bit his lip to keep himself from screaming in pain, but then it was gone and he could see Robert smiling down at him in relief, the hand that had been resting on his chest covered in blood but he was holding the bullet in his hand. Thomas stared at him before touching his chest, feeling the wetness of his blood, but no wound. It was gone.

“You did it. You saved my life.” He was still dumbstruck, his voice sounding disbelieving.

Robert's smile widened for the briefest moment, then he sagged against Marco, his body clearly drained from having to use an unfamiliar ability. Thomas sat up and leaned forward until Robert's head lolled against his chest. “Thank you, Robert.”

Robert clutched him closer, his body starting to tremble. “It hurts. I can hear the voice in my head.”

Thomas tensed because this was exactly what he had been afraid of. “Does it want you to kill me now that you gained my ability and are of no use to me?”

Considering what he knew about this voice; how it had wanted to see both Marco and Mario dead right from the start, everything else would have been a surprise. So he didn't expect Robert to shake his head. “No.”

Before he could elaborate, The Darkness crouched down between them, an amused glint in his eyes. “Of course not, Thomas. I could never say something like this to Robert, not after what you did for both of us. And like I said earlier I won't condemn myself to loneliness again. Which finally brings us to the actual reason I'm here for.” He offered his hand to Thomas and then pulled him back onto his feet, one arm slung around his waist to support the younger man who was still feeling a bit dizzy.

Thomas could feel both Robert and Marco standing up as well, placing themselves right behind him as they all held their breaths in anticipation.

The Darkness' was focusing entirely on Thomas though. “I'm offering you what you want the most.”

“And what would that be?”

“My love.”

Thomas was sure he had misheard him. “What?!”

The Darkness stepped closer, his eyes shifting to Robert with a patronizing expression in them before they returned to Thomas. “I told you you're the only person that's still important to me. I realized too late that killing you was a mistake and that I missed you.”

Thomas was frozen in place, unable to understand. How could someone as cruel as the man in front of him still care about him?

The Darkness took another step closer and now he was standing right in front of Thomas. “Come with me, Thomas. Let me take my revenge on Marco for what he did to Robert and for standing between the two of you. And in return I will spare your friends.”

Thomas' heart sank. He needed his friends to be safe more than anything, but that would mean this monster would continue to become stronger. And it was possible that there would come a time when he gained an ability that eventually made him so powerful that no one would be able to stop him.

“I can't do that. I love Robert, not you.”

The Darkness' eyes were blazing angrily. “I am Robert.”

“No, you're not,” Thomas said before turning to the side and looking at these cerulean eyes that were still giving him so much strength even in this moment. “Robert is kind and compassionate, something you could never be.”

The Darkness' lips curled. “You think that I'm cruel, right? Open your eyes, Robert already has that trait. Don't you see that he is just using you? He chose to be with Marco even though you were the one who sacrificed everything for him.” Robert and Marco both tensed at the mention of their names, guilt on their faces as they avoided Thomas' glance. “Come with me and I will be yours alone.”

Thomas turned to look at Robert and he saw the fear in those eyes. He was afraid that Thomas would give in. Thomas tried to give him a reassuring smile before turning to Marco who was watching him silently, his face as hard to read as ever. But by now Thomas knew him well enough to recognize the anxiety behind the mask.

And Thomas understood why Marco was insecure now, because though they both had often said they were ready to die for Robert, they had never really talked about _each other_. So his doubts were at least partly understandable.

Thomas turned back to The Darkness who was waiting patiently for his answer. “You're right. I'm the one who's got to die while Robert and Marco get their happily ever after and it's not fair. Because I love Robert with all my heart, I'd give anything to be with him.” He hesitated, his eyes returning to Marco before adding, “But it's because I love Robert that I could never hurt the man he loves.” And trusting that Marco would understand him, he shouted, “Now, Marco!”

It was like a veil was lifted from him. Suddenly Thomas felt the all-consuming fire erupting from his body, this new ability that Marco had suppressed up to now because Thomas still had no control over it. Large flames were licking across his body, searing his skin while it spread into all directions, The Darkness being the closest and therefore becoming its first victim.

Thomas heard his howl of pain before his eyes seemed to light up as he tried to fight Thomas' fire with his ice, the flames dimming and hissing angrily when it instantly melted to water before vaporizing. But Thomas wasn't strong enough, he realized and he shouted over his shoulders, “Get out of here while I'm holding him off!”

He could see Cristiano grabbing Miroslav to push him into Lionel's direction, to the portal that would bring them back to safety. The blinding white light as Miroslav disappeared through it momentarily distracted Thomas and he was unprepared for The Darkness using his power to neutralize Thomas' fire ability. He whirled around, halfway expecting to get attacked but to his shock it was Marco who suddenly dropped to his knees, his hands clutching at his chest and panting hard.

The Darkness smirked. “How does it feel like when your heart stops beating, Marco? Does it hurt?” Marco's eyes were wide as his body cramped and Thomas frantically searched for the fire within him, trying to bring it back but The Darkness was stronger. The latter gave him a knowing smirk. “Don't worry, I will come to you once I'm done with Marco.”

Marco's eyes were rolling back into his head before his eyelids closed but suddenly Robert was there, nothing but pure hatred in his eyes as he looked at his counterpart.

Thomas could see that Marco was curling into himself and taking deep breaths again, clearly hurt but at least he was still alive. But how?

The Darkness looked surprised. “I have to admit, I'm impressed, little one. You managed to suppress my ability. How did you do that?”

“I did what you told me to do. I let my emotions drive me. I can't allow you to hurt Marco and Thomas.”

The Darkness laughed, a hollow sound in the quiet room. “How ironic that this thought seems to give you this strength when Thomas will die together with me, right here, right now.”

Of course he knew about the plan, but why did he seem to be alright with dying?

The Darkness turned towards him with a victorious glint. “Death is just another obstacle to overcome. And I will do so with you, Thomas, and we will be together forever.”

Thomas' eyes widened at those words? Had The Darkness gained an ability that could defeat death? But he wouldn't get an answer to his unspoken question. Robert met his gaze as though he was looking for something, then he turned back to The Darkness. “You heard Thomas. He has made his choice and it is not you.”

“You misunderstand me, little one. I'm a part of you and one day I will awaken. It may take months or perhaps even years, but in the end I will still win. You will cease to exist and Thomas' ability will be mine.”

Robert's eyes narrowed. “I told you I wouldn't let any harm come to him and I mean it. You made the mistake of underestimating my feelings for him. You're right, I love Marco. But that doesn't mean I love Thomas less. How could I not fall in love with him after all that we've been through, the compassion he has shown me? His feelings for me are too strong that your whispers could drive a wedge between us. Our love is more powerful than you.”

The Darkness let out a mocking laugh. “You think you've won because you are suppressing my abilities? No, you're the one who loses because if you let Thomas unleash the fire that will kill us both, you will have to watch him die. Or you freeze us both to save him, but what would your death do to them? Especially to Marco? So no matter what you do, one of you will always die.”

Robert was silent for a long moment. “No, you're wrong. There is a way to save all lives.”

Thomas stared at him, wondering if he was dreaming. Had Robert really just thought of something that could avert the looming tragedy?

For the very first time even The Darkness looked shocked. “What?”

Robert turned to Manuel. “Get Marco out of here.”

Manuel obeyed and lifted the barely conscious man up into his arms before walking over to Lionel and taking his hand. They disappeared in the blinding white light. When the later returned only a second later Thomas realized that apart from the three dead bodies on the ground, he and Robert were the last ones left to walk through the portal. All the others has already been brought to safety while Thomas had been fighting The Darkness.

Robert met his gaze and he looked insecure. “I need you to trust me.”

“Of course,” Thomas responded instantly.

“Unleash your fire.”

Thomas swallowed before freeing the fire despite knowing he wouldn't be able to stop it without someone suppressing it and that wasn't a possibility considering Marco was unconscious – and also back in the present – while Robert needed to neutralize the powers of The Darkness if they didn't want him to stop their hearts.

The fire was just as cold and vicious as he remembered, the flames licking greedily over his body before spreading out.

He barely heard The Darkness' screaming in pain because his own skin was burning. He must be screaming as well, but he wasn't aware of it, he couldn't hear anything, see anything, feel anything beyond the agony of burning alive. But suddenly the pain stopped, his power neutralized by Robert and he heard him whispering, “Please watch out for Marco.”

And then Thomas was pushed back and he felt a different, smaller set of arms around his waist, his vision suddenly turning white.

He recognized the feeling immediately: He was going through the portal while Robert stayed behind to finish The Darkness off with Mario's ability. Thomas could feel a sudden sharp pain in his chest and he knew, it was The Darkness trying to stop his heart, just like he was probably doing to Robert.

Thomas' body convulsed and for that one moment that Robert switched from suppressing him to freezing The Darkness, something happened that no one of them could have predicted. Thomas' fire ability acted on its own.

His mind was still panicking because of his still not beating heart and the fire within Thomas reacted on its own, just like Robert's ability had done multiple times.

He felt it flaring back up, lashing out in the form of large flames erupting from his body. He was screaming in pain again, but then his heart started beating again and the flames subsided instantly at the same moment that his vision returned. He realized that he was back in the present when he saw the faces of Bastian and Manuel hovering above him worriedly, Miroslav standing a few feet away next to a barely conscious Marco lying on the ground.

“Thomas, are you alright?” Manuel asked while Bastian pulled him up to his feet.

“Hurts,” was all the younger man could say because it was the most prominent thought on his mind. Which wasn't surprising considering how out of control he had been. He was sure he wouldn't even be alive anymore if it wasn't for his healing ability that had managed to prevent the worst from happening.

And suddenly Thomas was jolted out of his thoughts by a loud scream. He whirled around just like Marco and Manuel and suddenly his head felt like exploding. The three men were back on their knees, just like Miroslav a feet away. The only one left standing was Cristiano, his whole shaking violently as his ability lashed out at everyone in reach.

It was over a few seconds later as Cristiano sank to the ground, eyes closed to hide the tears in them, his hands balled to fists.

Thomas stared at him confused before his gaze shifted to the man lying in front of him and time seemed to stop. The body was entirely burnt, the face distorted but not enough that they wouldn't recognize him. The dead man was Lionel.

Thomas was frozen in place, unable to turn his eyes away as he realized that this was his fault. Just like with Manuel, Lionel had been too close when Thomas had lost control, but this time there hadn't been Robert or Marco to stop him.

 _Robert_.

The name broke his state of shock and he turned back to the portal, relief flooding him when he saw that the black ball of energy was still there. And since Lionel was dead, there was only Robert who could have prevented it from closing. So he was still alive and had at least managed to kill The Darkness.

Thomas stared at the portal. “Why isn't Robert coming through?”

He turned his head towards Marco who was still too weak to even sit up, but his eyes were wide in panic. “Marco? What's wrong?!”

He hurried over to the blond's side, grabbing his shoulders until those eyes finally focused on him. “Marco!”

“He won't come,” Marco whispered horrified.

Thomas frowned until Marco added, “Lionel said it would need one to hold open the portal and one to make the transition between the past and the present.”

Thomas froze. “And now one of them is dead.” His legs gave out under his body and he felt bile rising up his throat as he realized that killing Lionel wasn't the only havoc he had wreaked. “Robert is stuck in the past.”

The moment he had finished his sentence, the church bell rang. It was half past ten.  
  
Thirty years prior Robert Lewandowski was standing in the middle of a burned-out house, an ice sculpture with the dead corpse of an almost identical man melting in the background.  
Robert was staring at that same church clock than his lover, signaling the same time of day, yet time was what was standing between them, an obstacle impossible to overcome.

Once again he reached out for the portal in front of him, trying to do hold it open while also walking through it but to no avail. He closed his eyes and gave up his efforts, watching the useless portal disappear in front of him.  
A tear ran down his cheek as he realized that he was truly and utterly alone...

 

**  
**  
Epilogue 

  
**Four months later**

 

 

With his pack slung over his shoulder Manuel was about to enter the taxi waiting to drive him to the airport, but stopped when he saw Miroslav approaching him.

The older man sighed. “Do you really have to leave already?”

“You're always asking me that. But you knew I couldn't stay longer than a few days.”

He didn't have to elaborate why, Miroslav knew why. They both turned back to the beautiful house standing on the hill at the edge of Madrid and Manuel felt the need to ask, “Is he going to be okay?”

“I don't know. That's why I can't come to Munich with you. I can't leave Cristiano alone in this house. He's already closed himself off too much anyway.”

“I know,” Manuel replied. “I wish I could stay and help you dealing with him. But Bastian was worried.”

Miroslav sighed. “So Thomas and Marco are still obsessed with finding someone who could help them to go back in time and get Robert back.” It wasn't a question.

Manuel nodded. “They've been digging up information ever since they lost him and have found nothing helpful. Bastian and I were hoping that with time they would start to accept that Robert is gone forever.”

“To be honest their obsession with getting him back isn't what scares me,” Miroslav admitted.

Manuel frowned. “Then what is?”

“Robert isn't dead, he's just been thrown into the year 1986 and has to live with it, right?”

Manuel nodded. He didn't understand what had Miroslav so worried. “And?”

“So he must still be alive in our time line, just thirty years older. Then why can't they find anything under the name 'Robert Lewandowski'? Records, an address, something. All the information they have found merely covers the first 27 years of his life.”

Manuel froze. “Are you saying he must have died very soon after he got trapped in the past?”

Miroslav shook his head. “No, of course not. But if he isn't dead, then he doesn't want to be found. Something must have happened to him. And that is what scares me...”

 

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Soundtrack:
> 
> RED – Faceless (Robert about the voice in his head)  
> Skillet – Madness In Me (Robert about the voice in his head)  
> Broken Iris – A New Hope (Marco after Mario's death)  
> Skillet – Everything Goes Black (after Mario's death, female singer is fromRobert's POV, male singer is from Marco's POV)  
> Skillet – Salvation (the first ten months of Marco's and Robert's relationship; female singer is from Robert's POV, male singer is from Marco's POV)  
> State of Shock – Best I Ever Had (Marco after Robert left him)  
> RED – Hymn for the Missing (Marco after Robert left him)  
> Hurts - Somebody to Die For (Thomas about Robert before Memory World)  
> RED – Not Alone (Thomas about Robert after Memory World)  
> RED – Part That's Holding On (Robert about Marco)  
> RED – Take Me Over (Robert about Thomas)  
> David Hodges – Daylight (the love scene between Thomas and Robert from Robert's POV)  
> RED – Watch You Crawl (The Darkness about Robert)

**Author's Note:**

> Any kind of feedback is welcome - criticism, kudos and/or comments.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Let Me Love You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8349793) by [Blue_Night](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night/pseuds/Blue_Night)
  * [O, Death... Won't you spare me over 'til another year](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9083164) by [Stewolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stewolf/pseuds/Stewolf)




End file.
